The issue you’re experiencing likely stems from how WordPress handles page hierarchy and URL slugs. Below are some possible reasons and solutions to investigate:
- Parent Page Hierarchy
Even if you’ve set the page to have “no parent” in the WordPress admin panel, there may be an existing hierarchy in the database causing this behavior.
Solution:
Go to the WordPress admin panel.
Edit the page in question.
Double-check the “Parent” option in the Page Attributes box and ensure it’s set to (no parent).
Save/Update the page. - Permalink Structure
WordPress builds URLs based on the permalink structure configured in the Settings.
If you’re using a structure that incorporates parent pages or categories, WordPress may generate URLs in a nested fashion.
Solution:
Go to Settings > Permalinks.
Select a simpler permalink structure like Post name (/%postname%/).
Save the settings and check the URL again. - Slug Conflict
The URL might be influenced by another page, category, or custom post type slug that matches wordpress-website-design-services-uk.
Solution:
Check for any existing pages, posts, or custom taxonomies with a slug of wordpress-website-design-services-uk.
If found, either delete or rename them, then re-save the affected page. - Static Front Page and Page Rules
If you’ve set the page as the static front page, WordPress sometimes handles URL generation differently for nested or linked pages.
Solution:
Temporarily unassign the page as the front page.
Save changes and re-check the page’s URL.
If the URL corrects itself, reassign the page as the front page and verify. - Custom Rewrite Rules
Custom rewrite rules in your theme or plugins might be causing this behavior.
Solution:
Temporarily switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four).
Deactivate all plugins.
Test the URL again.
If the issue is resolved, reactivate plugins one by one to identify the culprit. - Cached Redirects
Caching systems or redirects (either in a plugin or your server configuration) may be enforcing the nested URL structure.
Solution:
Clear your WordPress cache (if using a caching plugin).
Clear any server-side cache (e.g., Nginx, Varnish, or Cloudflare).
Check for redirect rules in your .htaccess file or server configuration and remove any related rules. - Custom Post Type Conflict
If you have a custom post type or taxonomy registered that conflicts with the slug, WordPress might treat your page as part of that hierarchy.
Solution:
Review your functions.php file or custom plugin code to check for custom post types or taxonomies using the conflicting slug.
Rename or adjust them to avoid conflicts.
Final steps after making the changes: Flush rewrite rules by going to Settings > Permalinks and clicking “Save Changes” without modifying the settings.
Test the URL again.
If none of the above resolves the issue, there may be a deeper configuration or database-level problem requiring manual intervention.