diff --git a/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/breadcrumb_selector.rb b/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/breadcrumb_selector.rb
index 34a15f693a..e301df2e35 100644
--- a/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/breadcrumb_selector.rb
+++ b/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/breadcrumb_selector.rb
@@ -55,11 +55,6 @@ def options(navigation)
             step_by_step: false,
             breadcrumbs: navigation.breadcrumbs,
           }
-        elsif navigation.content_has_a_topic?
-          {
-            step_by_step: false,
-            breadcrumbs: navigation.topic_breadcrumbs,
-          }
         elsif navigation.use_taxon_breadcrumbs?
           {
             step_by_step: false,
diff --git a/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/content_breadcrumbs_based_on_topic.rb b/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/content_breadcrumbs_based_on_topic.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index a8c46d7f6c..0000000000
--- a/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/content_breadcrumbs_based_on_topic.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-module GovukPublishingComponents
-  module Presenters
-    class ContentBreadcrumbsBasedOnTopic
-      def self.call(content_item)
-        new(content_item).breadcrumbs
-      end
-
-      attr_reader :content_item
-
-      def initialize(content_item)
-        @content_item = content_item
-      end
-
-      def breadcrumbs
-        breadcrumbs = [{ title: "Home", url: "/" }]
-        return breadcrumbs unless topics.present?
-
-        breadcrumbs << topic_breadcrumb
-        breadcrumbs
-      end
-
-      def topic_breadcrumb
-        {
-          title: first_topic["title"],
-          url: first_topic["base_path"],
-        }
-      end
-
-      def first_topic
-        topics.first
-      end
-
-      def topics
-        @topics ||= content_item.dig("links", "topics")
-      end
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/contextual_navigation.rb b/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/contextual_navigation.rb
index 4413fe6301..419d850480 100644
--- a/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/contextual_navigation.rb
+++ b/lib/govuk_publishing_components/presenters/contextual_navigation.rb
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@ def taxon_breadcrumbs
         @taxon_breadcrumbs ||= ContentBreadcrumbsBasedOnTaxons.call(content_item)
       end
 
-      def topic_breadcrumbs
-        @topic_breadcrumbs ||= ContentBreadcrumbsBasedOnTopic.call(content_item)
-      end
-
       def breadcrumbs
         breadcrumbs_based_on_ancestors
       end
@@ -88,10 +84,6 @@ def content_is_a_html_publication?
         content_item["document_type"] == "html_publication"
       end
 
-      def content_has_a_topic?
-        content_item.dig("links", "topics").present?
-      end
-
       def content_tagged_to_current_step_by_step?
         # TODO: remove indirection here
         step_nav_helper.show_header?
diff --git a/spec/components/breadcrumbs_spec.rb b/spec/components/breadcrumbs_spec.rb
index 85c003c66e..3955e4069a 100644
--- a/spec/components/breadcrumbs_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/breadcrumbs_spec.rb
@@ -148,12 +148,12 @@ def assert_link_with_text_in(selector, link, text)
   it "renders breadcrumb items without link as text" do
     render_component(
       breadcrumbs: [
-        { title: "Topic", url: "/topic" },
+        { title: "Education", url: "/education" },
         { title: "Current Page" },
       ],
     )
 
-    assert_link_with_text_in(".govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item:first-child", "/topic", "Topic")
+    assert_link_with_text_in(".govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item:first-child", "/education", "Education")
     assert_select(".govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item:last-child", "Current Page")
     assert_select(".govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item:last-child a", false)
   end
diff --git a/spec/components/contextual_breadcrumbs_spec.rb b/spec/components/contextual_breadcrumbs_spec.rb
index 6f2009dadc..1fe0851c5f 100644
--- a/spec/components/contextual_breadcrumbs_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/contextual_breadcrumbs_spec.rb
@@ -19,11 +19,6 @@ def remove_curated_related_item(content_item)
     content_item
   end
 
-  def remove_topics(content_item)
-    content_item["links"].delete("topics")
-    content_item
-  end
-
   def set_parent_titles_to_businesses(content_item)
     content_item["links"]["parent"][0]["title"] = "Business and self-employed"
     content_item["links"]["parent"][0]["links"]["parent"][0]["title"] = "Licences and licence applications"
@@ -86,7 +81,6 @@ def set_live_taxons(content_item)
   it "renders taxon breadcrumbs if the content_item is tagged to mainstream browse but there is no mainstream browse parent" do
     content_item = example_document_for("guide", "guide-with-no-parent")
     content_item = set_live_taxons(content_item)
-    remove_topics(content_item)
     render_component(content_item:)
     assert_no_selector(".gem-c-step-nav-header")
     assert_select "a", text: "Home"
diff --git a/spec/components/contextual_footer_spec.rb b/spec/components/contextual_footer_spec.rb
index 740b441c6c..87f2cc3537 100644
--- a/spec/components/contextual_footer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/contextual_footer_spec.rb
@@ -31,16 +31,16 @@ def component_name
   it "sets the GA4 type to \"contextual footer\"" do
     content_item = {}
     content_item["links"] = {
-      "topics" => [
+      "taxons" => [
         {
           "base_path" => "/skating",
           "title" => "Skating",
-          "document_type" => "topic",
+          "document_type" => "taxon",
         },
         {
           "base_path" => "/paragliding",
           "title" => "Paragliding",
-          "document_type" => "topic",
+          "document_type" => "taxon",
         },
       ],
     }
@@ -55,16 +55,16 @@ def component_name
   it "allows GA4 to be disabled" do
     content_item = {}
     content_item["links"] = {
-      "topics" => [
+      "taxons" => [
         {
           "base_path" => "/skating",
           "title" => "Skating",
-          "document_type" => "topic",
+          "document_type" => "taxon",
         },
         {
           "base_path" => "/paragliding",
           "title" => "Paragliding",
-          "document_type" => "topic",
+          "document_type" => "taxon",
         },
       ],
     }