diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 8929649..099e682 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -173,6 +173,60 @@
 	end
 
   ##
+  # checks if the user can add new organisations
+  # 
+  # @return [Boolean] true if the user can add new organisations
+  def can_add_orgs?
+    add_orgs = roles.find_by(name: constant("add_organisations"))
+    return !add_orgs.nil?
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # checks if the user can change their organisation affiliations
+  # 
+  # @return [Boolean] true if the user can change their organisation affiliations
+  def can_change_org?
+    change_org = roles.find_by(name: constant("change_org_affiliation"))
+    return !change_org.nil?
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # checks if the user can grant their permissions to others
+  # 
+  # @return [Boolean] true if the user can grant their permissions to others
+  def can_grant_permissions?
+    grant_perms = roles.find_by(name: constant("grant_permissions"))
+    return !grant_perms.nil?
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # checks if the user can modify organisation templates
+  # 
+  # @return [Boolean] true if the user can modify organisation templates
+  def can_modify_templates?
+    modify_temp = roles.find_by(name: constant("modify_templates"))
+    return !modify_temp.nil?
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # checks if the user can modify organisation guidance
+  # 
+  # @return [Boolean] true if the user can modify organistion guidance
+  def can_modify_guidance?
+    modify_guidance = roles.find_by(name: constant("modify_guidance"))
+    return !modify_guidance.nil?
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # checks if the user can use the api
+  # 
+  # @return [Boolean] true if the user can use the api
+  def can_use_api?
+    use_api = roles.find_by(name: constant("use_api"))
+    return !use_api.nil?
+  end
+
+  ##
   # checks what type the user's organisation is
   #
   # @return [String] the organisation type
diff --git a/config/initializers/locale.rb b/config/initializers/locale.rb
index 261f930..220f920 100644
--- a/config/initializers/locale.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/locale.rb
@@ -19,4 +19,4 @@
     # set fallback locale
     config.i18n.fallbacks = true
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/config/locales/en-UK.yml b/config/locales/en-UK.yml
index c3c1b1b..b5acf40 100644
--- a/config/locales/en-UK.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en-UK.yml
@@ -949,6 +949,12 @@
       super_admin: 'admin'
       organisational_admin: 'org_admin'
       user: 'user'
+      add_organisations: 'add_organisations'
+      change_org_affiliation: 'change_org_affiliation'
+      grant_permissions: 'grant_permissions'
+      modify_templates: 'modify_templates'
+      modify_guidance: 'modify_guidance'
+      use_api: 'use_api'
     api_endpoint_types:
       guidances: 'guidances'
       plans: 'plans'
diff --git a/db/seeds.rb b/db/seeds.rb
index 8cde5a0..051acbc 100644
--- a/db/seeds.rb
+++ b/db/seeds.rb
@@ -28,12 +28,14 @@
 }
 
 languages.each do |l, details|
-  language = Language.new
-  language.abbreviation = details[:abbreviation]
-  language.description = details[:description]
-  language.name = details[:name]
-  language.default_language = details[:default_language]
-  language.save!
+  if Language.where(name: details[:name]).empty?
+    language = Language.new
+    language.abbreviation = details[:abbreviation]
+    language.description = details[:description]
+    language.name = details[:name]
+    language.default_language = details[:default_language]
+    language.save!
+  end
 end
 
 regions = {
@@ -55,11 +57,13 @@
 }
 
 regions.each do |l, details|
-  region = Region.new
-  region.abbreviation = details[:abbreviation]
-  region.description = details[:description]
-  region.name = details[:name]
-  region.save!
+  if Region.where(name: details[:name]).empty?
+    region = Region.new
+    region.abbreviation = details[:abbreviation]
+    region.description = details[:description]
+    region.name = details[:name]
+    region.save!
+  end
 end
 
 region_groups = {
@@ -74,10 +78,12 @@
 }
 
 region_groups.each do |l, details|
-  region_group = RegionGroup.new
-  region_group.super_region_id = Region.find_by_name(details[:super_region_name]).id
-  region_group.region_id = Region.find_by_name(details[:region_name]).id
-  region_group.save!
+  if RegionGroup.find_by(region_id: details[:region_name]).blank?
+    region_group = RegionGroup.new
+    region_group.super_region_id = Region.find_by_name(details[:super_region_name]).id
+    region_group.region_id = Region.find_by_name(details[:region_name]).id
+    region_group.save!
+  end
 end
 
 organisation_types = {
@@ -176,6 +182,24 @@
   },
   'user' => {
     name: "user"
+  },
+  'add_organisations' => {
+    name: 'add_organisations'
+  },
+  'change_org_affiliation' => {
+    name: 'change_org_affiliation'
+  },
+  'grant_permissions' => {
+    name: 'grant_permissions'
+  },
+  'modify_templates' => {
+    name: 'modify_templates'
+  },
+  'modify_guidance' => {
+    name: 'modify_guidance'
+  },
+  'use_api' => {
+    name: 'use_api'
   }
 }
 
@@ -214,7 +238,7 @@
         password_confirmation: "password123",
         organisation: "RCC",
         language: 'English(UK)',
-        roles: ['admin','org_admin'],
+        roles: ['admin','org_admin','add_organisations','change_org_affiliation','grant_permissions','modify_templates','modify_guidance','use_api'],
         accept_terms: true,
         confirmed_at: Time.zone.now
     },
@@ -271,7 +295,6 @@
      usr.roles << Role.find_by_name(role)
     end
     usr.accept_terms = details[:accept_terms]
-    
     usr.save!
   end
 end
@@ -723,10 +746,12 @@
 }
 
 token_permission_types.each do |title,settings|
-  token_permission_type = TokenPermissionType.new
-  token_permission_type.token_type = title
-  token_permission_type.text_desription = settings[:description]
-  token_permission_type.save!
+  if TokenPermissionType.where(token_type: title).empty?
+    token_permission_type = TokenPermissionType.new
+    token_permission_type.token_type = title
+    token_permission_type.text_desription = settings[:description]
+    token_permission_type.save!
+  end
 end