Key changes at Companies House – mandatory identity verification for directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs)

You may have received a notification or seen communications from Companies House about a new identity verification requirement.  This is part of a wider update under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, aimed at tackling fraud and increasing transparency across UK businesses.

What is changing?

From Autumn/Winter 2025 (the exact date is still to be confirmed), it will become mandatory to verify your identity before:

• Filing a company’s Confirmation Statement (CS01)
• Incorporating a new company and new director and/or PSC appointments

Verification will also be a requirement for filing other documents at Companies House, on behalf of a company, for example the annual financial statements, in the future.

This applies to individuals in the following roles:

• Company Directors (or equivalents such as LLP members or general partners)
• Persons with Significant Control (PSCs)
• Anyone filing documents on behalf of a company (e.g. a company secretary)

This also applies to charitable companies.

The new process is designed to help maintain the integrity of the Companies House register by ensuring that the people behind companies are who they say they are.

The ID verification process is very similar to that for online passport renewals applications.

How can you verify your identity?

Although this isn’t yet a legal requirement, you can choose to verify early.  Our suggestion is that you do review this early if you can.

There are three options available:

1. Online via the new GOV.UK One Login service (this is free) by using a smartphone app or answering security questions online
2. In person at selected Post Office branches
3. Via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) (for a charge) although this is likely to require a similar ID verification process to GOV.UK One Login

At this stage, the simplest and most cost-effective route for most individuals will be to verify directly online via the GOV.UK ID Check app or the GOV.UK One Login app.

What do you need to verify your identify?

You can verify yourself online with GOV.UK, for free, if you have one of the following types of photo ID:

• Biometric passport from any country
• UK photo driving licence (full or provisional)

You will also need:

• Your current address, and the year you moved in
• To sign in to create a GOV.UK One Login

Please note that you should only need to do this once for all of your positions of director or PSC if you have more than one.

Our suggestion is that you verify your identity now, ahead of the mandatory implementation date.  Once you have completed this, you will be provided with a personal code and our Company Secretarial team ([email protected]) , or your normal Lewis Brownlee contact, are ready to receive this code from you if we provide you with assistance on company secretarial matters like the annual Confirmation Statement (CS01).  We will also require this personal code to continue to submit documents to Companies House on your behalf.

How to verify if you do not have these types of photo ID?

If you do not have any of these types of photo ID but live in the UK, you can use the GOV.UK service to find out if you can verify in one of the following ways:

• in person at the Post Office
• with bank or building society details – you’ll then need to provide your National Insurance number and answer some security questions

If you do not have the required identity documents or information to verify with GOV.UK or at the Post Office?

You can ask an ACSP such as a solicitor, to verify your identity on your behalf.  This is also known as a Companies House authorised agent.

You’ll need to provide suitable identity documents, which may prove difficult in some situations, these can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-meet-companies-house-identity-verification-standard.

Unfortunately, Lewis Brownlee is unable to assist you in verifying your ID via this (non-photo ID) route as it requires specific training and accreditation.

Why this matters

Once this becomes law, you will not be able to file legally required documents unless you have verified your identity.  Failing to comply could result in financial penalties or even disqualification.

If you have any questions about this process, or whether it affects you, please get in touch with your normal contact or our Company Secretarial team at 01243 782 423 or [email protected].

We are here to help you through this transition to ensure it is as smooth as possible.