UK vs US Business Registration Data: What Recruiters Need to Know

Two Registries, Two Strategies

If you recruit across the UK and US, you are working with two fundamentally different company registration systems. Understanding how they differ — and what signals each one gives you — will change how you source clients and candidates.

Companies House: Every Business, Not Just Public Ones

The UK Companies House registry covers every limited company in the UK — from one-person freelance LTDs to FTSE 100 corporations. That is over 5 million active companies, with around 70,000 new registrations every month. For recruiters, the most valuable signal is the new formation rate. A company incorporated 60–90 days ago is almost certainly hiring for the first time.

SEC EDGAR: Public Companies with Financial Depth

The SEC EDGAR database covers US public companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The most useful document type for recruiters is the 10-K (annual report) because it contains headcount data, segment descriptions, geographic footprint, and material business risks.

New Formation vs. Growth Signal

Companies House gives you new formation signals. EDGAR gives you growth signals. Use Companies House new formations for contingency/RPO for first hires; use EDGAR 10-K growth filings for retained search during expansion phases.