How do I find decision-makers at UK companies without buying a contact list?

You can find decision-makers at UK companies without buying a contact list by using two public sources: the officers listed at Companies House and the people a company names on its own website. Neither gives you a direct dial or a verified email, but both tell you who holds the role, and for small and mid-sized companies that is often enough to ask for the right person by name.

This page sets out what each source gives you, where it falls short, and how to combine them quickly.

Source 1: Companies House officers

Every active UK company has at least one officer on the register, and the officer list is free to search on the Companies House website. For a company with two directors, that is nearly the whole leadership team. For a company with a layered structure, the directors may be holding-company officers rather than the people who run daily operations.

Officer records also show appointment and resignation dates. A recent change of director can be a reason to call, and it also tells you not to rely on an older name. Check the date before using one.

Source 2: the company's own website

Team and about pages name the people the company wants to be found. These are often the managing director, heads of function or founders. The limit is coverage: of 5,567,699 active companies, Lockley has a confirmed website for 606,470, and many small companies have no site or no team page.

Reading these pages by hand takes a few minutes per company. That is fine for ten companies a morning and impractical for hundreds.

Why start from the company

Contact lists answer the question 'who can I reach'. A better first question for a small team is 'which company has a reason to talk to me this week'. A record such as a new site, a first hire in a function or a contract coming to an end gives you both the reason and a clue about which role owns the problem: a first finance hire points to the founder or managing director, a new site to operations.

Data protection

Names and roles of directors are public, but using personal data for marketing is still covered by UK data protection law and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. Rules differ between limited companies and sole traders, and between calls and emails. Read the Information Commissioner's Office guidance on direct marketing before building a process, and take advice if you are unsure.

Where Lockley fits

Lockley reads Companies House, Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, job postings, planning registers and company websites every night. It gives a small team a short list each morning, each company with the public record that says why now, and links to the record so it can be checked. It does not sell contact lists or bulk email data and does not send email on your behalf. You still decide whom to call and how.

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