What Is the Telephone Preference Service (TPS)? A Guide for UK Businesses

If your business makes outbound sales or marketing calls in the UK, the Telephone Preference Service is one of the main suppression lists you need to understand.

The Telephone Preference Service, usually shortened to TPS, allows people to register a landline or mobile number if they do not want to receive unsolicited live sales and marketing calls.

For businesses, the practical consequence is simple: before launching a calling campaign, you need to know whether the telephone numbers you plan to use appear on the relevant preference registers.

TPS is particularly important because it does not just apply to private consumers. Sole traders and certain partnerships can also fall within TPS, which means even a B2B database can contain numbers that need to be suppressed.

This guide explains how TPS works, what the 28-day rule means, who it covers, how it differs from CTPS, and how businesses should use TPS screening as part of a wider calling-data process.

What is the Telephone Preference Service?

The Telephone Preference Service is the UK's official register for individual subscribers who do not want to receive unsolicited live direct-marketing calls.

People can register both landline and mobile telephone numbers.

The register is not a technical call-blocking system. It does not prevent a telephone network from connecting a call.

Instead, it provides a suppression list that organisations making live marketing calls are expected to check before dialling.

That distinction is important.

TPS does not stop the call at network level. The organisation making the call is responsible for checking whether the number should be suppressed before the campaign begins.

For businesses running outbound campaigns, screening calling data against TPS, CTPS and internal Do Not Call records can help keep suppressed numbers out of the dialler.

Who does TPS apply to?

TPS primarily applies to individual subscribers.

That includes:

• private consumers

• sole traders

• certain partnerships

• other subscribers treated as individuals under the relevant telephone-marketing rules

This is one of the areas where businesses often make mistakes.

A number does not move outside TPS simply because it is being used for business purposes.

A self-employed plumber, consultant, electrician or accountant may use the same mobile number for every business enquiry, but if they operate as a sole trader, that number can still fall within TPS.

This is why classifying a database as "B2B" does not tell you which preference register you need to check.

Can mobile numbers be on TPS?

Yes.

TPS applies to mobile numbers as well as landlines.

This matters much more today than it did when TPS was first introduced because many businesses now hold far more mobile numbers than fixed-line numbers.

Sales databases commonly contain:

• customer mobiles

• prospect mobiles

• direct-dial numbers

• sole-trader mobiles

• business-owner mobiles

• employee mobiles

A mobile number should not be assumed to be available for marketing calls simply because it is not a residential landline.

If it is going to be used for live marketing, it needs to be checked against the appropriate suppression data.

What happens after someone registers with TPS?

A TPS registration does not become fully effective immediately.

There is a 28-day period between registration and the point at which the number becomes fully protected by the preference-service rules.

That 28-day period is also why businesses should avoid relying on old screening results.

Suppose a calling list was checked six weeks ago.

At the time of the original check, a particular number might not have been registered.

The subscriber could then register the number with TPS, complete the 28-day period and become fully registered before your campaign begins.

If you rely on the old check, you could be working from outdated suppression information.

That is why TPS screening should be treated as a current database check rather than a permanent label attached to a telephone number.

How often should a calling list be TPS checked?

Businesses making unsolicited live marketing calls should keep preference screening current.

The 28-day cycle is the key timeframe to work around, but many organisations choose to check more frequently.

The right operational process depends on how your data enters the business.

For example, a company running one campaign every few months may screen the entire file immediately before launch.

A lead-generation business receiving new records every day may prefer to check numbers as they enter the CRM.

A large contact centre may screen records automatically before they become available to agents.

If numbers are constantly being added or updated, checking TPS and CTPS close to the point at which records are used is generally more reliable than relying on occasional database cleans.

Is TPS only relevant to B2C marketing?

No.

This is one of the most important points for B2B marketers.

TPS applies to individual subscribers, and some people operating businesses are still treated as individual subscribers.

Sole traders are the clearest example.

Imagine a database containing:

• a limited company

• a self-employed builder

• a freelance consultant

• an LLP

• a sole-trader electrician

Those records may not all belong to the same preference register.

Some may fall under TPS, while others may fall under the Corporate Telephone Preference Service.

For mixed B2B data, checking only one register can leave gaps.

If you are working mainly with corporate prospects, our separate guide explains how the Corporate Telephone Preference Service works and when CTPS applies.

TPS and CTPS are not interchangeable

TPS and CTPS serve a similar purpose, but they apply to different types of subscriber.

Subscriber type	Relevant register
Private individual	TPS
Sole trader	TPS
Certain partnerships	TPS
Limited company	CTPS
LLP	CTPS
Other corporate bodies	CTPS

The important point for marketers is that the correct register depends on the subscriber rather than whether the record happens to sit inside a B2C or B2B campaign.

That is why combined screening is often more useful than trying to determine the legal status of every record manually.

For organisations with mixed calling data, screening against both TPS and CTPS in the same process can simplify that decision.

Does a TPS match always mean you cannot call?

A TPS registration creates a general objection to unsolicited live marketing calls.

However, there are circumstances where a business may still have an appropriate basis for making a marketing call.

One example is where the subscriber has specifically consented to receive telephone marketing from that organisation.

The important word is specifically.

A business should not assume that vague third-party terms or a generic marketing statement automatically override a TPS registration.

If you intend to call a TPS-registered number on the basis of consent, you should be able to show that the consent applies to:

• your organisation

• telephone marketing

• the type of communication being made

• the relevant time period

• the person or subscriber concerned

The existence of a TPS match should therefore trigger a clear business rule rather than an automatic assumption in either direction.

Does passing a TPS check mean a number is legal to call?

No.

A clean TPS result only tells you that the number was not identified as registered with TPS at the point of screening.

It does not answer every compliance question relating to the call.

You may still need to consider:

• CTPS

• your own Do Not Call records

• previous objections

• consent

• the type of product being promoted

• whether the call is live or automated

• other PECR requirements

• applicable data-protection rules

This is why TPS screening should be viewed as one suppression layer rather than as a universal "permission to call" test.

What is an internal Do Not Call list?

An internal Do Not Call list records people or organisations that have directly told your business that they do not want further marketing calls.

That record is separate from TPS.

For example, somebody may not be registered with TPS but may tell one of your agents:

"Please remove me from your marketing calls."

Your business should have a way to record that preference and make sure the number is suppressed from future campaigns.

This is why good calling-data hygiene normally involves more than one source.

A practical suppression process might combine:

1. TPS

2. CTPS where relevant

3. your organisation's own Do Not Call records

If you maintain your own suppression file, combining internal DNC data with TPS and CTPS screening reduces the risk of previously opted-out contacts being reintroduced into campaigns.

What if you buy a calling list?

A purchased or licensed list should not automatically be assumed to be ready to call.

One of the first questions to ask is when the supplier last screened the data.

If a TPS or CTPS check was performed weeks or months ago, the results may no longer reflect the current registers.

You should also understand what the supplier means if the list is described as "compliant", "consented" or "TPS checked".

Those terms can hide important differences.

For example:

• When was the screening performed?

• Which registers were checked?

• Was the screening done against TPS only or TPS and CTPS?

• What consent is being relied upon?

• Does that consent name or clearly cover your organisation?

• Have previous objections been accounted for?

The organisation making the calls remains responsible for how the data is actually used.

For that reason, it is usually sensible to validate calling data close to the point of campaign use rather than relying indefinitely on a supplier's earlier check.

Does TPS apply to existing customers?

Having an existing customer relationship does not automatically mean every marketing call is permitted.

A genuine service call can be different from a direct-marketing call.

For example, contacting a customer about an operational issue with a service they already use may not have the same purpose as calling them to promote an upgrade, renewal or unrelated product.

The content and purpose of the call matter.

If the call includes direct marketing, the relevant preference and consent rules still need to be considered.

Businesses should avoid treating "existing customer" as a blanket exemption from telephone-marketing rules.

What about automated marketing calls?

Automated calls are subject to stricter rules than ordinary live marketing calls.

If a recorded marketing message is played without a live person speaking, specific consent is generally required.

TPS status does not change that.

So a number being absent from TPS does not mean an organisation can automatically send recorded marketing calls to it.

This is another reason it is important to distinguish between different communication channels rather than treating every telephone activity as the same.

Does TPS cover SMS marketing?

No.

TPS is concerned with live telephone marketing calls.

It is not an SMS suppression register and it does not provide permission to send text-message marketing.

Email and SMS are covered by separate rules under PECR.

A number can therefore pass a TPS check while still requiring a completely different assessment before it is used for text-message marketing.

Does TPS stop nuisance and scam calls?

TPS can reduce legitimate unsolicited marketing calls from organisations that follow the rules.

It does not physically stop incoming calls.

Criminals, scammers and organisations that ignore UK marketing requirements may still call TPS-registered numbers.

This is why registering with TPS does not guarantee that a person will never receive another unwanted telephone call.

TPS should be understood as a preference and compliance register rather than a call-blocking technology.

Who enforces the TPS rules?

The relevant direct-marketing rules are enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office.

The ICO can investigate organisations that make marketing calls in breach of PECR and can take enforcement action where appropriate.

The enforcement regime has become significantly stronger since the original version of this article was first published.

Following changes introduced through the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, the maximum penalties available for certain PECR infringements can now reach £17.5 million or 4% of worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher.

For most businesses, though, the practical consequences of poor screening begin much earlier than a regulatory fine.

Calling suppressed contacts can create:

• complaints

• poor customer experience

• lower agent productivity

• wasted call attempts

• damage to brand reputation

• unnecessary compliance risk

Keeping suppression data current is therefore both a compliance issue and a data-quality issue.

How should a business use TPS screening?

TPS checking works best as part of the campaign process rather than as a separate compliance exercise performed occasionally.

A sensible workflow might look like this.

Start with the numbers you intend to call

Prepare the campaign file and remove obvious duplicates or invalid telephone records.

Check the relevant preference registers

Screen against TPS and, where corporate subscribers may be present, CTPS as well.

Apply your internal suppression data

Exclude numbers belonging to people or organisations that have already objected directly to your marketing.

Review any special campaign requirements

Consider whether the product, audience or type of call is subject to additional restrictions.

Record the screening date

A timestamp or screening date helps you understand how current the result is.

Send only the remaining records into the campaign

Preference screening is most useful when it happens before the dialler stage.

For regular outbound activity, screening TPS, CTPS and DNC records before calling begins can make the process repeatable rather than relying on manual checks.

Common misconceptions about TPS

"TPS only applies to consumers"

Not quite.

Sole traders and certain partnerships can also fall within TPS.

"A business number cannot be TPS registered"

It can.

The legal status of the subscriber matters more than the way the number is being used.

"Mobiles do not need TPS checking"

They do.

Mobile numbers can be registered with TPS.

"A number passed TPS, so we can call it"

Not necessarily.

Other suppression lists, consent requirements or campaign restrictions may still apply.

"The supplier already checked the list"

That does not tell you when the check happened or whether it is still current.

"TPS blocks the phone call"

It does not.

The responsibility sits with the organisation making the marketing call.

"TPS and CTPS are the same thing"

They are separate registers for different categories of subscriber.

"TPS applies to SMS as well"

It does not.

SMS marketing is governed by separate rules.

Telephone Preference Service FAQs

What does TPS stand for?

TPS stands for Telephone Preference Service.

What is TPS used for?

It allows individual subscribers to record that they do not want unsolicited live sales and marketing calls.

Can a mobile number be on TPS?

Yes. Mobile and landline numbers can both be registered.

Are sole traders covered by TPS?

Yes. Sole traders are generally treated as individual subscribers for these purposes.

Are limited companies on TPS?

Limited companies are corporate subscribers and normally use CTPS instead.

How long does TPS registration take?

A new registration takes 28 days to become fully effective.

How often should businesses screen against TPS?

Businesses should keep preference screening current and should not rely on results that are older than the relevant 28-day cycle.

Does TPS registration expire?

Ordinary TPS registrations generally remain in place until cancelled or otherwise removed through the register's accuracy processes.

Can I call a TPS-registered number with consent?

There can be circumstances where valid, specific consent allows a marketing call. The organisation should be able to demonstrate that the consent genuinely covers the call being made.

Does TPS apply to B2B marketing?

Yes, where the subscriber is an individual subscriber such as a sole trader. B2B databases can therefore require both TPS and CTPS screening.

Does TPS apply to automated calls?

Automated marketing calls are subject to stricter consent rules, so TPS status alone does not determine whether they can be made.

Does TPS cover text messages?

No. TPS relates to live telephone marketing calls.

Who enforces the rules?

The Information Commissioner's Office enforces the relevant UK direct-marketing requirements.

Keep suppressed numbers out of your calling campaigns

TPS screening is most valuable when it is built into the way your business prepares telephone data.

A typical outbound database can contain a mixture of individual subscribers, corporate subscribers and contacts who have previously opted out directly from your organisation.

That means one check is rarely enough.

Before a campaign goes live, screening your telephone data against TPS, CTPS and your own Do Not Call records can help keep inappropriate records out of the dialler and give your team cleaner data to work with.

The goal is not simply to tick a compliance box.

It is to make sure the records entering your calling operation are current, properly screened and suitable for the campaign you are about to run.