UK SIC 2007: industry codes for target group lists

If you want to reach a particular industry, you need a definition that you, your data provider and the official statistics share. In the United Kingdom that definition is the Standard Industrial Classification, UK SIC 2007. This article explains how it is built, where the codes in company data come from and how to use them for a target group list.

How UK SIC 2007 is built

UK SIC 2007 took effect on 1 January 2008. According to the ONS main volume, the UK is “required by European legislation to revise the SIC in parallel with NACE so that both systems remain identical down to and including the four digit class level”, and a fifth digit has been added “where it was thought necessary or helpful”. The hierarchy:

• Section (letter A to U), for example F construction;
• Division (two digits), for example 43 specialised construction activities;
• Group (three digits), for example 43.2 electrical, plumbing and other construction installation activities;
• Class (four digits), for example 43.22 plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation;
• Subclass (five digits) in some classes only, for example 47.78/2 retail sale by opticians within class 47.78.

Because the first four digits match NACE Rev. 2, a UK target group defined by class can be compared directly with the same class in an EU country.

Where the codes in company data come from

At Companies House, each company gives up to four SIC codes, written as five digits with a description (“43220 - Plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation”). The code is chosen by the company, not assigned by an authority, and a company’s main activity may have changed since it last updated its code. In the snapshot of 1 November 2026, 231,826 live companies gave no code and 103,488 gave 99999 for dormant companies. Among active companies, the largest divisions by first SIC code were 68 real estate activities (631,159), 47 retail trade (432,264), 43 specialised construction activities (304,465), 62 computer programming, consultancy and related activities (291,721), 70 activities of head offices; management consultancy (276,256).

The ONS codes businesses on its own business register for statistics. In late 2025 it introduced a new tool for coding business descriptions to the SIC; according to the notes of its 2026 business publication, comparisons with the previous tool showed 93% agreement, with some changes at detailed industry level. Statistics by industry are therefore a good measure of market size, but a company’s code in the register and its code in the statistics can differ.

Sole traders and partnerships have no Companies House record and therefore no register SIC code. In any list, their industry has to be derived from other sources, such as the business category on a map or the business description on a website.

Official figures by SIC code

The ONS publication UK business: activity, size and location 2026 counts businesses registered for VAT and/or PAYE by division and by four-digit class, by region and by size. It is the source of the market size on our industry pages. Two practical points: the ONS rounds every figure to the nearest 5, and it publishes classes, not five-digit subclasses, so a figure for opticians alone (47.78/2) is not available.

Using SIC codes for a target group

1. Start with the activity, not the name. “Builders” can mean 41.20 construction of buildings, 43.39 other building completion or 43.99 other specialised construction activities. Decide which activities you mean.
2. Choose the level. A division is broad (43: all specialised construction), a class is precise (43.21 electrical installation). Classes give smaller, more relevant lists.
3. Allow for secondary activities. A company with four SIC codes may do what you want only as a side line. For a precise list, check the first code or the website.
4. Combine with region and fields. Add the nation or postcode areas and the contact fields you need; the industry code alone does not tell you whether a business can be reached.
5. Check the legal form. For email campaigns, separate companies from sole traders and partnerships; see PECR rules for B2B email and calls.

The 21 Contact Database industries and their SIC codes

The table can be scrolled sideways.

What changes with UK SIC 2026

The ONS has published UK SIC 2026, effective from 14 April 2026 and aligned with NACE Rev. 2.1 and ISIC Rev. 5 (UK SIC 2026 revision). The ONS writes that the framework “is not yet in operational use across ONS systems” and that “the earliest planned use is in the 2031 Blue Book”. Until then, official statistics and the Companies House data in this article use UK SIC 2007. When the change comes, correspondence tables published by the ONS will translate old codes into new ones; a list defined by 2007 classes will need to be checked against them.

Frequently asked questions

Is UK SIC 2007 the same as NACE?

Down to the four-digit class, yes: the ONS states that the UK SIC is based exactly on NACE Rev. 2 and identical down to and including the class level. The UK adds a fifth digit for some classes.

Who decides a company’s SIC code?

The company itself: the register shows the codes a company has supplied, and the value “None Supplied” (231,826 live companies on 1 November 2026) shows that they can also be missing. Since 20 September 2019 the ONS no longer helps individual companies to choose a code.

Will UK SIC 2026 replace UK SIC 2007?

Yes, eventually. UK SIC 2026 has been published and is aligned with NACE Rev. 2.1 and ISIC Rev. 5, but according to the ONS it is not yet in operational use across ONS systems; the earliest planned use is the 2031 Blue Book. Official business statistics in 2026 still use UK SIC 2007.

As of 4 November 2026. Sources: ONS (UK SIC 2007 main volume, UK SIC 2026 pages, UK business 2026), Companies House snapshot of 1 November 2026.