Short answer. Every UK limited company appears on the Companies House register, and its public data is free to search without registering. Start there, then check what it does not show.
Where. Companies House "Find and update company information": https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/
What you can see for free (per GOV.UK): company information such as registered address and date of incorporation, current and resigned officers, document images, mortgage charge data, previous company names, and insolvency information. Free email alerts can tell you when a company updates its details.
Steps.
What the register does not show. It records what companies file; it does not verify business activity, creditworthiness or payment behaviour, and it is not a sanctions or news check.
What a Dutiful report adds. For the UK: registry profile, status, officers, and owners (persons with significant control) and charges where the register publishes them, plus a sanctions screen (OFAC SDN and UK Sanctions List) and a public news and web scan, with sources. Sample: /sample. Free coverage check: /?ref=guides.
Disclaimer. This guide describes publicly available registry information and is general information, not legal, financial or compliance advice. Registers change; check the official source before relying on it. A Dutiful report is best-effort research from public sources and is not a compliance certificate. Checked 19 Oct 2026.