If you are making outbound marketing calls in the UK, TPS screening is not something you can ignore or put off until later. It is a legal requirement under PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations), and getting it wrong can cost you significantly — both financially and reputationally. This post covers exactly what TPS screening is, who needs to do it, how it works in practice, and what happens if you skip it.
What Is TPS Screening?
TPS screening is the process of checking your telephone marketing list against the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) register before you make any outbound marketing calls. Any numbers that appear on the register must be removed from your calling list. Those are people who have formally opted out of receiving unsolicited sales calls, and contacting them is a breach of the law.
It sounds simple because it is — but plenty of businesses still get caught out, either by not screening at all or by using data that has not been screened recently enough.
What Is the Telephone Preference Service?
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is the UK’s official opt-out register for consumers. It is managed by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and is underpinned by PECR. When an individual registers their number with TPS, they are legally protected from receiving unsolicited marketing calls.
There is also the Corporate TPS (CTPS) — the equivalent register for businesses and organisations that have opted out of unsolicited marketing calls to their main business number. If you are running B2B telephone campaigns, CTPS screening is just as important as TPS screening is for consumer campaigns.
For the full regulatory detail on TPS and PECR compliance, the ICO’s direct marketing guidance is the place to start.
Who Needs to Screen Against TPS?
In short: anyone making outbound telephone marketing calls in the UK.
- Calling consumers — you must screen against TPS
- Calling businesses — you must screen against CTPS for main business numbers
- Calling mobile numbers — the same rules apply; mobile numbers can be registered on TPS
This applies whether you are running a one-off campaign or a rolling outbound programme. It applies to your own in-house data and to lists you purchase from a data broker. There are no exceptions.
How Does TPS Screening Work in Practice?
The process itself is straightforward:
- Take your list of telephone numbers
- Run them through the TPS and CTPS register
- Flag and remove any registered numbers
- Only contact the numbers that remain
One thing to be aware of: TPS data is updated monthly. That means screening carried out more than 28 days before your campaign could already be out of date. You should always screen as close to your campaign launch date as possible, and ideally within 28 days of making the calls.
TPS Screening and Buying Marketing Data
When you buy telephone marketing data from a reputable data broker, TPS and CTPS screening should be included as standard — not treated as an optional extra. If it is not, that should raise a red flag.
At Data Bubble, all telephone data supplied for consumer campaigns is TPS-screened before it reaches you. For B2B data used in telephone campaigns, CTPS screening is applied to main business numbers as part of the service. The same applies to our B2C data — you should never have to worry about whether the list you are calling has been screened.
If you have existing data that has not been cleaned or screened recently, our data cleaning services can take care of that before your next campaign goes out.
What Happens If You Do Not Screen Against TPS?
Calling a TPS-registered number without consent is a direct breach of PECR. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can issue fines of up to £500,000 for serious or repeated violations — and they do issue them. Beyond the financial risk, there is also the reputational damage of being known as a business that calls people who have explicitly asked not to be contacted.
It is simply not worth the risk when TPS screening is straightforward, affordable, and widely available.
Get Compliant Marketing Data From Data Bubble
If you want telephone marketing data that comes pre-screened and ready to use, Data Bubble can help. We supply TPS and CTPS-screened data for both consumer and business campaigns across the UK. Take a look at our data pricing page to see what we offer, or call us on 0113 465 5555 to talk through what you need. TPS screening is built into every telephone list we supply — no corners cut, no compliance headaches for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About TPS Screening
How often should I screen my calling list against TPS?
You should carry out TPS screening within 28 days of making your marketing calls. The TPS register is updated monthly, so data screened more than 28 days before your campaign may no longer be accurate. New numbers are added to the register regularly, which is why screening close to your campaign date matters.
Does TPS screening apply to mobile numbers?
Yes. Mobile numbers can be registered on the TPS in the same way as landlines, and the same rules apply. If a mobile number is on the TPS register, you cannot call it for unsolicited marketing purposes without prior consent. Always screen your full list, including mobiles, before any outbound campaign.
What is the difference between TPS and CTPS screening?
TPS (Telephone Preference Service) covers individual consumers who have opted out of unsolicited marketing calls. CTPS (Corporate Telephone Preference Service) covers businesses and organisations that have registered their main business number to opt out of unsolicited calls. If you are running consumer telephone campaigns, you screen against TPS. If you are running B2B telephone campaigns, you screen against CTPS. For campaigns that include both, you should screen against both registers.
