This article guides you through the Verification step that appears in the Buy a number wizard when you buy a United Kingdom phone number. UK regulations (Ofcom) require phone providers to verify who operates each number, so before your first UK purchase you complete one short business-verification form. It is reviewed within around 3 business days, it is free, and one approval covers every UK number you buy after that.
Step 1: Open the Buy a Number Wizard
Open the Buy a number wizard from any of its entry points — for example the Calls or SMS card in the Channel Catalog, or the ＋ Buy a number button in Call Setup. On the first step, Where should your number live?, select United Kingdom.
We suggest reading our How to Set Up the Calls Channel in Engage (Buy a Number) article for a full walkthrough of the wizard itself.
Step 2: Choose Capabilities
On the What should the number do? step, tick the capabilities you need (Voice, SMS, MMS) and choose a number type (Local, Toll-free or Mobile), then click Continue.
Because you selected the United Kingdom, a Verification step appears in the step strip before you can pick a number. The wizard's footer on the first step sets the expectation: "One-time business verification, then numbers activate instantly".
NOTE: Verification applies to every UK number type — local, toll-free and mobile alike. If your clinic has already been approved, the wizard shows the Business verified screen instead of the form, and you can skip straight to Step 5.
Step 3: Complete the Verify Your Business Form
On the Verify your business form, fill in the three sections:
- Your business — your Legal business name, what the business is Registered with (Companies House (CRN) or Other registration authority), your Companies House number (8 characters, e.g. 01234567 or SC123456) and your Website (your public site or a verified social profile).
- Business address — your physical premises: Street address, Suite / floor (optional), City, County / region and Postcode. PO boxes aren't accepted.
- Authorised representative — someone who can speak for the business: First name, Last name, Mobile number and Email. Use a real mobile the regulator could reach — not a virtual number. Approval updates go to the email address you enter here.
When everything is filled in, click Submit for verification. If any field needs attention, the form highlights it with the message "Please fix the highlighted fields."
NOTE: Your details are shared only with Twilio's regulatory team to register your numbers — never used for marketing. The verification itself is free of charge.
Step 4: Wait for the Review
After you submit, the step changes to Verification in review and shows the panel Twilio is reviewing your details. Reviews typically complete within 3 business days, and you'll get an email at the address you provided the moment it's decided.
TIP: You can close the wizard while you wait — your progress is saved. Come back any time and click Check status now to refresh the result.
Step 5: Continue Once Approved
When your submission is approved, the Verification step shows Business verified with the green panel You're approved for United Kingdom numbers, and the Continue button unlocks so you can pick your number.
From now on, every new UK number is registered under your approved business details automatically — the wizard's Review step confirms this with a green Business verified. note, and future UK purchases won't ask you to fill in the form again.
If Your Verification Is Declined
If the review team declines your submission, reopen the wizard and select the United Kingdom again. The Verification step shows a red banner — "Your previous submission was declined." — together with the reason, and your previous answers are prefilled so you only need to correct what's off and click Submit for verification again. No support ticket is needed.
NOTE: Self-serve verification is currently available for UK numbers only. If another country's numbers require verification, the wizard will ask you to reach out to Pabau support, and we'll register your business details with the regulator for you — after that, numbers activate instantly.
We suggest reading our How to Set Up the Calls Channel in Engage (Buy a Number) article for the rest of the purchase flow, and our How to Set Up Two-Way SMS in Engage article if you're buying the number for text messaging.
For more guides, refer to related articles below, select additional guides, or use the search bar at the top of the page. These guides will help you get the most out of your Pabau account.
Additionally, to help you fully utilize and understand your Pabau account, we recommend exploring additional guides and resources offered at the Pabau Academy.