How to block UK spam calls (2026 guide)
Network blocklists, iOS / Android settings, third-party apps and the TPS register — what actually works to stop UK spam calls in 2026.
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UK regulators and networks have rolled out increasingly aggressive anti-spam tooling since 2023. Here are the layers actually worth setting up in 2026, ranked by impact.
1. Register on the TPS
The Telephone Preference Service is the official UK opt-out from cold sales calls — register at tpsonline.org.uk. It won't stop scams (which ignore TPS by definition) but it kills most legitimate cold-call lists. Free, takes about 60 seconds, takes 28 days to take full effect.
2. Turn on your network's free anti-spam filter
Every major UK network offers a free anti-fraud filter that blocks known scam numbers at the network level — they never even ring your phone. Check the My Account section of your provider:
| Network | Service | How to enable |
|---|---|---|
| EE | Scam Shield | My EE app → Tools & Help → Scam Shield |
| O2 / Virgin Media O2 | Call Defence | My O2 app → Settings → Call Defence |
| Vodafone | Call Protect | My Vodafone app → Account → Call Protect |
| Three | Network call filter | Three app → Account → Block calls |
| BT (landline) | BT Call Protect | BT.com → My BT → Call Protect |
| Sky (landline) | Sky Talk Shield | Sky.com → My Account → Talk Shield |
| Plusnet (landline) | Call Protect | Member Centre → Call Protect |
| TalkTalk | CallSafe | MyAccount → Calls → CallSafe |
3. iOS / Android built-in tools
- iPhone: Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from anyone not in your contacts go straight to voicemail. Great for low-tolerance, may miss your courier.
- Android (Pixel): Phone app → Settings → Spam and Call Screen → Call Screen → 'Screen automatically'. Google Assistant answers and asks the caller to identify themselves; you see a transcript and can pick up if it's legitimate.
- Android (Samsung): Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Block numbers → 'Block calls from unknown numbers'.
- Both ship with constantly-updated network spam lists in 2026.
4. Third-party apps
Truecaller, Hiya, Robokiller — useful, but read their privacy policy: they upload your address book to crowdsource the spam list. If you're privacy-conscious, the network filter + iOS Silence Unknown is enough.
5. Per-number block
Registering with the Telephone Preference Service is the simplest way to opt out of unsolicited live UK marketing calls. It is illegal under PECR for an organisation to make such calls to a TPS-registered number without the recipient's prior consent.
When a scam slips through, block at the device level (iOS / Android: long-press → Block). Network-level blocks (BT Call Guardian, Sky Talk Shield) make blocked numbers unreachable on the line entirely — useful for whole prefixes.
Bottom line
TPS + network filter + iOS Silence Unknown / Android Call Screen will catch 95% of UK spam in 2026. For the rest, report it so the networks can add the number to their shared blocklist. And look up any unknown number before you dial it back.
Look up a UK number now
Free, no signup. See the Ofcom range holder + AI internet check.
Frequently asked questions
How do I block all spam calls on my UK mobile?
Combine three layers: register on the TPS (kills legitimate cold calls), turn on your network's free anti-fraud filter (kills known scam numbers at the network), and enable Silence Unknown Callers on iOS or Call Screen on Android (catches anything new).
Does the TPS stop scam calls?
No — scammers ignore TPS by definition. TPS only stops legitimate UK companies that obey the regulation. To stop scams you need your network's free anti-fraud filter plus your phone's spam-screening setting.
Are call-blocker apps safe to use?
Truecaller, Hiya and Robokiller all upload your contacts to crowdsource the spam list. If you're privacy-conscious, the free network-level filter plus iOS Silence Unknown / Android Call Screen will catch most scams without any third-party data sharing.
Can I block whole prefixes like 070 or 0843?
Some UK landline services (BT Call Guardian, Sky Talk Shield) let you block entire prefixes. On mobile, you'd need a third-party app — iOS and Android only block individual numbers natively.
Sources & references
- Telephone Preference Service (TPS)DMA / TPSwww.tpsonline.org.uk
- Complaining to Ofcom about silent and nuisance callsOfcomwww.ofcom.org.uk/complaints
- Tackling scam calls and texts: 2024 progress reportOfcomwww.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/scam-calls-and-texts
- Forwarding suspicious texts to 7726National Cyber Security Centrewww.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-call
- Action Fraud — UK fraud reportingCity of London Policewww.actionfraud.police.uk
Continue reading
- Common UK scam-call patterns (2026)The eight most common UK call-scams in 2026, with red flags, real examples, and the right response for each. Includes Action Fraud and 159 reporting routes.
- How to report a scam call in the UK (2026)Action Fraud, 7726, your bank, the regulator — who to tell, in what order, and what they actually do with the report.
- Is this number a scam? UK fraud-call detection in 2026Is this UK number a scam? Use this checklist of free signals — Ofcom range data, live AI internet check, spoofed CLI red flags and reporting routes — to decide in 60 seconds.
- UK phone number lookup — the complete 2026 guideHow UK phone number lookup actually works in 2026: what data sources are public, which tools are free, what 'Range Holder' really tells you, and how to identify any UK landline, mobile or non-geographic number in seconds.