Corporate TPS and Cold Calling Rules in the UK: A Guide for B2B Sales Teams

Cold calling is legal in the UK, including calls to businesses. But it is regulated, and the rules are not the same as in the rest of Europe or the US. If you – or an agency working for you – make sales calls to UK organisations, the Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) is the first thing to understand.

This guide explains what the CTPS is, who it covers, how screening works in practice and the other rules that apply to every B2B calling campaign. It is general information, not legal advice.

Where the rules come from

Marketing calls in the UK are governed by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, usually shortened to PECR. They are enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which also enforces UK GDPR. PECR sets the rules for the call itself; UK GDPR governs the personal data you use to make it, such as a named contact on your list.

PECR treats two kinds of phone subscriber differently. Corporate subscribers are limited companies, LLPs, Scottish partnerships and public bodies. Individual subscribers are private individuals, sole traders and – outside Scotland – most partnerships. That distinction decides which register you need to screen against.

What the Corporate TPS is

The CTPS is the central opt-out register for corporate subscribers. An organisation can register its numbers – free of charge – to say it does not want unsolicited sales and marketing calls. Its counterpart, the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), does the same for individuals, sole traders and partnerships. Both registers are run on behalf of the regulator, and you can find information for businesses and marketers on the TPS website.

Under PECR you must not make an unsolicited live sales or marketing call to:

• a number registered with the CTPS or the TPS, unless that subscriber has told you they are happy to receive your calls;
• any organisation or person who has previously told you not to call them, whether or not they are registered.

There is no business-to-business exemption. A call to a company switchboard, a direct dial or a company-issued mobile can all be covered, so every number on your list needs checking – not just the ones that look personal.

How screening works in practice

Screening means checking your call list against the TPS and CTPS before you dial. Marketers and agencies do this through a licence to the registers, either directly or via a data or dialler provider that builds it into their platform.

• Screen before every campaign. Old lists are a common source of complaints. A number that was clean last quarter may be registered today.
• Re-screen at least every 28 days. New registrations can take up to 28 days to come into effect, which is why ongoing campaigns typically re-check their data on a 28-day cycle.
• Keep your own suppression list. When someone says “don't call us again”, that request applies even if they are not registered. Record it straight away and apply it across every campaign and every number you hold for that organisation.
• Keep records. Being able to show when a list was screened, and against which version of the register, is the simplest way to demonstrate compliance if a complaint is made.

The other rules every B2B call must follow

CTPS screening is the headline, but it is not the only requirement:

• Display a valid caller ID. Marketing callers must not withhold their number, and the number shown should be one the recipient can call back.
• Say who is calling. The caller must identify the organisation the call is made on behalf of and, if asked, provide an address or freephone number. If an agency is calling for you, prospects should still know whose offer it is.
• Automated calls are different. Pre-recorded marketing messages need the recipient's prior, specific consent – including for businesses. Most B2B appointment setting is therefore done by people, not recorded messages.
• Watch your dialler settings. Ofcom's persistent misuse rules limit abandoned and silent calls from automated diallers – currently no more than 3% of live calls per campaign over a 24-hour period, with an information message when a call is abandoned and no repeat call within 72 hours unless a live agent is guaranteed.

What happens if you get it wrong

The ICO regularly takes enforcement action and issues fines over nuisance marketing calls. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 raises the maximum PECR penalty from £500,000 to the same level as UK GDPR – up to £17.5 million or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher. Reputational damage with the very buyers you want to win is often the bigger cost.

A pre-campaign checklist

1. Classify your targets: are they corporate subscribers, or sole traders and partnerships covered by the TPS?
2. Screen the full list against the CTPS and TPS, and record the date.
3. Remove anyone on your internal do-not-call list.
4. Check your caller ID is valid and returnable.
5. Brief callers on how to introduce themselves and how to handle a request not to be called.
6. Set a reminder to re-screen within 28 days.
7. Make sure your data use is covered by UK GDPR as well – most B2B campaigns rely on legitimate interests.

For the data protection side, read our guide to UK GDPR and legitimate interests in B2B prospecting. If you would rather hand the whole process to specialists, our appointment setters screen every list as standard.