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 or dates of birth do not match. 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. 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.

 

 

 

 

There are 3 ways to prove your identity via the GOV.UK One Login:

• with the GOV.UK One Login and a mobile phone app
• by answering security questions online
• at a selected Post Office

The method you use will depend on your device, if you have photo ID, and what type of photo ID it is.

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.

Instructions to verify on-line via GOV.UK. 

You’ll need one of the following types of photo ID:

• UK photocard driving licence
• UK passport
• non-UK passport with a biometric chip
• UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
• UK biometric residence card (BRC)
• UK Frontier Worker permit (FWP)

Follow this link:

Verify your identity for Companies House - GOV.UK

• Follow above link and select “verify your identify”.
• Select “Go to Gov.UK One Login”.
• Select “Create your Gov.Uk One Login”
• Enter your email address.
• Check your emails for code sent and enter into website.
• Create your own password.
• Choose how to get security codes, using a mobile is usually the most straight forward.
• Check mobile for code sent and enter into website.
• This should complete the first process of creating your GOV.UK One login. You will now require a mobile phone to verify your identification:

Identify Verification - using a mobile phone app 

You’ll need access to a phone with a working camera. 

If you’re using an iPhone, it must be running iOS 15 or higher and be either:

• an iPhone 6s or newer if your photo ID is a UK driving licence
• an iPhone 7 or newer if you’re using any other type of photo ID

For an Android phone (for example, Samsung or Google Pixel), it must be running Android 10 or higher.

• Login to your new account on GOV.UK one login.
• Answer 'No' to has your identity been verified?
• Select Route 1 – App
• Select where you live – e.g. UK
• Answer 'Yes' if you have suitable ID
• Answer 'Yes' to access a Smartphone/Iphone

Then on the smartphone/Iphone

• Scan the QR code to download the App
• Login to the App with the new user details created
• Continue to prove your identify
• Choose 'ID option'
• Follow instructions to take images
• Follow instructions to scan face

Once completed go back to other device

• Check details are correct
• Give consent for external check
• Once checks completed personal code should appear
• Please forward this code to us

Alternative methods to verify your ID via the GOV.UK login:

By answering security questions online

Via an Authorised corporate service provider

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.