How do I check a UK company in five minutes before a sales call?

You can check a UK company before a sales call in five minutes using free sources. Confirm on Companies House that it is active, read the officers, scan the filing history for recent changes, open the company's website to see what it sells, and write one line about the most recent change. That line is your opening. Companies House search is free and needs no account for most records.

Step 1: confirm the company exists and is active

Search by company name or number on the Companies House Find and update company information service. The summary shows status, registered office, incorporation date and company type. If the status is dissolved, in liquidation or has a strike-off notice, stop. Note the incorporation date too: a company formed in the last year is a different conversation from one formed twenty years ago.

Step 2: read the officers

The officers tab lists directors and secretaries, and persons with significant control sit on a separate tab. Look at who was appointed recently and who resigned. A new director often has a mandate to review suppliers and tools. A resignation may mean a gap in a function you serve. Treat both as a reason to ask, not as a certainty.

Step 3: scan the filing history

The filing history lists every document submitted, including confirmation statements, director changes, charges, insolvency proceedings and applications to strike off. Read the last three or four entries. A new charge may mean the company has borrowed against its assets. An accounts filing gives you size and trading position. Late filings can be a warning sign about how well run the business is, so weigh them against your own risk appetite.

Step 4: read the website

Open the site and answer three questions: what does it sell, who does it sell to, and what has changed recently? Check the careers page for senior roles or a first hire in a function, and look for news or new locations. Registry data cannot tell you any of this.

Step 5: add public contracts and planning if they apply

If your product touches public sector work, search Contracts Finder for the company as a supplier and note contract end dates. If you sell to firms that expand premises, check the local planning register for applications. These take longer by hand, which is the main reason sellers skip them.

Step 6: write the opening line

Summarise in one sentence: what the company does, the most recent change, and why it matters to your product. For example: a director appointed last month, or a public contract ending in November. Keep the source open on screen so you can quote the date accurately.

Five-minute checklist

Doing this at scale

By hand, this works for a few companies a day. Lockley automates the reading: each night it reads Companies House, Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, Adzuna job postings, planning registers and company websites, then gives a small team a short list each morning with a link to the record behind each finding. It does not sell contact lists or send email for you. On 6 October 2026 the index held 5,578,553 active UK companies, which is why choosing whom to check first matters.

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