UK Companies House as a B2B Data Source
Every company in the United Kingdom is in one free, official, public database: Companies House. For UK-focused prospecting, it's the most authoritative starting point that exists.
But registry data is built for compliance, not sales. Here's what it contains, what it's brilliant at, and the work required to turn a registry row into a contact you can actually email.
What UK Companies House is
Companies House is the UK's official company registry. Every limited company must register and file there, and the core data is free to search and download — no license, no paywall.
Records include the company's legal name and number, status (active, dissolved, in liquidation), incorporation date, registered office address, SIC codes describing its activity, its directors and officers, filing history, and persons with significant control (PSC).
What data can be obtained
| Data field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Company name and number | The legal identity — unambiguous, deduplicated by design |
| Status | Active, dissolved, liquidation — never prospect a dead company again |
| Incorporation date | Company age; brand-new incorporations are a classic trigger event |
| SIC codes | Official industry classification — filter whole sectors |
| Directors and officers | Real decision-maker names, with appointment dates |
| Registered address | Location targeting, with a caveat (see limitations) |
| PSC (persons with significant control) | Who actually owns the company |
Who this source is good for
UK market entry with official data
Build a complete, authoritative universe of UK companies in your target sectors before you spend anything on data.
Targeting new incorporations
Thousands of companies register every week. New businesses need banking, insurance, accounting, software and services — and the registry tells you they exist before any database does.
Decision-maker identification
Director names are public and current. For SMEs, the director usually is the buyer.
Limitations to know about
No emails, phones or websites
The registry holds zero contact data beyond a registered address. Every row needs enrichment before outreach.
Registered address ≠ trading address
Huge numbers of companies register at their accountant's office. Location targeting needs cross-checking.
SIC codes are self-reported
Companies pick their own codes, often generic ones ('other business support'). Sector filters catch most — not all — of your market.
From raw source to outreach-ready list
We turn registry rows into outreach-ready lists: companies filtered by SIC code, age, status and region, matched to their actual trading websites, with the right director or manager identified and a verified business email attached.
The result keeps the registry's authority — real, active, legally registered companies — and adds the one thing it lacks: a way to reach them.
Frequently Asked Questions
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