New legislation means that Company Directors and People with Significant Control (PSCs) will have a legal requirement to verify their identity with Companies House from Autumn 2025. Companies House have confirmed that individuals can voluntarily verify their identity from 8 April 2025 in advance of the changes becoming mandatory. 
 

From Autumn 2025 providing identity verification to Companies House will be compulsory for all new directors and PSCs (Persons with Significant Control) and on all new company incorporations. 

There will then be a 12-month transition period for existing directors and PSCs, who will need to complete identity verification checks by Autumn 2026.
 

Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House has been given greater controls over company names to help deal with the misuse of company names.
 

It has come to our attention that some limited companies have received fraudulent payment requests purportedly from Companies House.

The measures set out in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill give Companies House new and enhanced powers to improve the quality and reliability of their data.

The automatic extensions granted by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act will come to an end for filing deadlines that fall after 5 April 2021.