According to gov.uk:
Copyright is the legal protection given to original work. No registration or marking is required in order for copyright protections to apply, although some countries (including the US) maintain an optional register of materials protected by copyright.
Copyright provides protection for many types of material, including:
- Original literary work
- Original non-literary work (including software and web content)
- Sound and music recordings
- Film and television recordings
- Broadcasts
Copyright is valid in most countries worldwide through international treaties such as the Berne Convention. However, the degree of enforcement and length of time of copyright protection after the work’s creation may vary between countries.
According to gov.uk:
In the UK, infringement of copyright is usually a civil matter and can be dealt with in court if private mediation is unable to reach a resolution. If copyright infringement is deliberately practised on a large, commercial scale, then it may amount to a criminal offence, under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or another piece of legislation.