Companies House is upping the ante when it comes to fraud prevention and will be adding new ID verification requirements for all company directors or persons with significant control (PSCs) from this Autumn.
Read on to find out what you need to know, what you need to do and how we can help…
These regulatory changes form part of the UK’s Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, which focuses on fraud prevention and misuse of UK companies. So, it may seem like more red tape, but this additional level of security is a good thing.
If you are already a company director or PSC you will need to verify your identity before August 2026. While that may sound like a big window to take care of this administrative task, with over 6 million individuals needing to comply in that time, we’re recommending you act sooner rather than later. And we can help!
If you’re considering registering a business with Companies House and becoming a company director or PSC, you will now have to comply with the new verification rules. We can help with this too – the company incorporation and your personal verification!
At Ellacott Morris we’re registering as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) with Companies House. This will allow us to securely handle the verification process on your behalf, without you lifting a finger. We’ll update you when we’re approved and ready to go.
There are other options on how to proceed, but if you’d prefer us to take care of this task you for as your authorised agent, then we’re here to help. This means that you won’t need to set up new logins or mess around with document uploads.
Your other options are:
- Online via UK One Login (NOT your normal Government Gateway – this is a separate, new system requiring ID and facial recognition)
- In person at selected Post Offices (UK residents only and eligibility criteria apply)
Due to the administrative process and because this is a regulated service involving compliance and record-keeping, we will be charging a small fee to manage verification on behalf of our clients.
Our fee structure is as follows:
- £65 + VAT per individual
- £45 + VAT for each additional director in the same company
- This includes ID verification, issuing your personal verification code and supporting its linking to Companies House when the time comes in 2025
You are of course welcome to register directly, but if you’d rather take the stress-free, hassle-free option, then we’re here to manage the whole process for you.
What now?
If you’d like Ellacott Morris to manage your registration, please contact us to let us know. We’ll add you to our list and as soon as our ACSP registration is finalised, we’ll be in touch. Alternatively, please follow the guidance above to register directly.
We highly recommend, whether you utilise our services or register directly that you act sooner rather than later, particularly if your company has multiple directors, you live overseas or your Companies House details could be out of date.
As with all our services, we’re here to offer help and support, ensuring you remain compliant at all times.
You can find more information regarding these ID checks here.
If you have any queries regarding these forthcoming requirements or you’d like us to manage this on your behalf as your authorised agent, then get in touch today!
