All company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) of companies will soon have to verify their identity with Companies House. You can now do so voluntarily if you want to prepare for the change.

Early participants will be able to identify any difficulties with their data and have plenty of time to deal with them. For example, verification might be problematic where a director’s name registered at Companies House is not identical to the name on the director’s passport. From autumn 2025 only company officers who have verified will be able to file a company confirmation statement and certain other documents.

You may have received an email from Companies House regarding these requirements, if you have not, and your email address is the registered email address for your company, you very likely will in the near future. It has been announced that the new requirements for this matter will come into effect on 18 November and they will then affect the filing of the first Confirmation Statement due after that date. 

Preventing illegal activity

The new requirement is designed to deter people who wish to use companies for illegal purposes and to improve the accuracy and transparency of the information held by Companies House. From autumn 2025 all company directors and PSCs will have to verify their identity on appointment or incorporation. Existing directors and PSCs will then have a year to comply with the new rules and so must complete identity verification by autumn 2026. Continuing as a director or PSC without verifying will become an offence and a director may be disqualified. There could also be a financial penalty.

To verify your identity voluntarily, you must first set up a GOV.UK One Login. This is a new form of access to government services and is not the same as a Government Gateway account or a Companies House webcheck login. At the moment it only has a few uses, but in future it will let you access all services on GOV.UK. Typically you will need a biometric passport or UK driving licence and a mobile phone to scan your face. However, you can also verify in person at a post office and there are some other alternatives.

No action required yet

Another method is to use an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP), also known as a Companies House authorised agent. Argents have registered as an Authorised Corporate Services Provider (ACSP) so that we can continue to make these filings on your behalf with Companies House - You will need to provide suitable identity documents. This service will also cover company accounts in due course whereby the filings will require additional details in relation to identify verification. There are a couple of options as to how we, or you, deal with this.  We will be in touch with further details about what will be required in early October so there is no action that you need to take at the moment.  

As well as identity verification companies must now provide a registered email address and from 1 April 2027, companies will have to file their accounts with Companies House using commercial software. Most will already be using software to file their accounts with HM Revenue and Customs, as HMRC’s web filing service will close on 31 March 2026.