Reference

Data Sources

The major inputs, source logic, and underlying datasets used within Spark Intel research. Understanding where data comes from is essential to interpreting research outputs responsibly.

Primary Data Sources

The following sources provide the foundational data for Spark Intel research outputs.

Companies House

The primary source for insolvency appointments, charge registrations, and company filing data. Used across all research categories.

  • Insolvency practitioner appointment records
  • Charge registrations (debentures and mortgages)
  • Company accounts and filing metadata
  • SIC code classifications
  • Registered office addresses

Bank of England

Published lending statistics and monetary policy data used to contextualise UK lending activity.

  • SME lending volumes
  • Base rate and monetary policy data
  • Credit conditions surveys
  • Sectoral lending breakdowns

Insolvency Service

Official UK government insolvency statistics providing aggregate context for Spark Intel's company-level analysis.

  • Quarterly insolvency statistics
  • Company and individual insolvency totals
  • Historical trend data

Supplementary Sources

Additional data sources used to enrich analysis and provide commercial context.

Published Lender Disclosures

Annual reports, results announcements, and regulatory filings from lenders operating in the UK SME finance market. Used to contextualise market share, strategic positioning, and product activity.

FCA Register

The Financial Conduct Authority register is referenced for lender authorisation status and regulatory classification where relevant to lending market analysis.

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Macroeconomic indicators including GDP, inflation, and business demographics used to provide broader economic context within research commentary.

Proprietary Analysis

In addition to public data sources, Spark Intel maintains proprietary datasets and analytical tools that enhance the depth of its research:

  • Curated lender classification: A maintained list of invoice finance and lending providers used to categorise charge registrations by lender type and market segment.
  • SPK Index algorithm: A proprietary weighting system for ranking insolvency practitioners and firms. See the Methodology page for details.
  • Debtor book estimation model: Estimates of debtor book values for invoice finance clients, derived from the most recent publicly filed accounts at Companies House.
  • Spark company database: Over 5 million business records enriched with financial, structural, and classification data to support company-level analysis across research categories.

Licensing & Attribution

Where Spark Intel research contains public sector information from Companies House, the Insolvency Service, or other government sources, this data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Spark Intel's proprietary analysis, commentary, the SPK Index, and curated datasets are the intellectual property of Spark Finance Group Plc. Reproduction or redistribution of proprietary content requires written permission.

All reports include source attribution where applicable. If you have questions about data sourcing, licensing, or usage rights, contact the Spark team through Spark Finance.

Data Sources FAQs

Spark Intel draws primarily on Companies House filings, the Bank of England lending statistics, the Insolvency Service official statistics, and published lender disclosures. These are supplemented by proprietary analysis including the SPK Index and a curated lender classification system.

The underlying public sector data used by Spark Intel is available through its original source under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Spark Intel's proprietary analysis, commentary, and the SPK Index are the intellectual property of Spark Finance Group Plc.

Data is validated through automated checks and manual quality assurance before publication. The research team cross-references multiple sources where available and flags discrepancies or limitations within report caveats. See the Methodology page for more detail.

Related

Reference

Methodology →

Overview

Research Index →

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