For most of its history, Companies House was a passive library: it accepted what companies filed without checking whether any of it was true. That made the UK an easy place to create fake or opaque companies. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) is changing that fundamentally — turning Companies House into an active, verifying gatekeeper. The centrepiece is identity verification: the real people behind companies must now prove who they are.
Why the register is changing
The old "filed is not the same as true" problem made UK companies a favourite tool for shell-company abuse and laundering. ECCTA tackles the root cause: if Companies House verifies who is really behind a company and can reject suspect filings, the register becomes far harder to abuse.
Who must verify, and how
| Who | Requirement |
|---|---|
| New directors | Must verify identity to be appointed |
| Existing directors | Must verify (phased, with a deadline) |
| People with Significant Control | Must verify their identity |
| Third-party filers (agents) | Must register as an ACSP to file on others' behalf |
Verification can be done directly with Companies House, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) — a registered agent (such as an accountant or formation agent) who has itself completed AML-supervised checks and is authorised to verify identities and file.
The timeline
- 2025 — voluntary phaseIdentity verification and ACSP registration open on a voluntary basis.
- Autumn 2025 — new appointmentsVerification becomes compulsory for new directors and PSCs.
- Early 2026 — filing restrictionsLimits on who can file; third-party agents must be registered ACSPs.
- Autumn 2026 — existing populationAll existing directors and PSCs must have completed verification.
What it means for due diligence
The register is getting stronger, but a crucial limit remains.
Decide whether each person/role must verify their identity at Companies House under the new regime.
Someone is being appointed as a director of a UK limited company.
Where Probitas fits
A more reliable Companies House register makes everyone's due diligence better — but because you still cannot rely on the PSC register alone, the work of confirming and screening the real people behind a company remains. A Probitas company profile reads the public record, surfaces beneficial-ownership signals, and screens the individuals it finds against sanctions, PEP and adverse media sources, each anchored to its origin. The verification regime and your CDD decisions remain your own.
Companies
What is Companies House identity verification?
A new requirement under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act for the real people behind companies — directors and people with significant control — to prove their identity to Companies House, either directly or through an authorised agent.
Who has to verify their identity?
New and existing company directors, people with significant control (PSCs), and — to file on others' behalf — third-party agents who must register as Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs).
What is the deadline for existing directors and PSCs?
Verification is phased in, becoming compulsory for new appointments from autumn 2025 and requiring the existing population of directors and PSCs to complete verification by autumn 2026.
What is an ACSP?
An Authorised Corporate Service Provider — a registered agent (such as an accountant or formation agent), itself subject to AML supervision, authorised to verify identities and make filings on behalf of companies.
Can I now rely on the PSC register for due diligence?
No. Verification makes the register more reliable, but the Money Laundering Regulations are explicit that you do not meet your due-diligence duties by relying only on the PSC register. You must still carry out your own beneficial-ownership checks.
Sources
This guide is written from primary sources. Each is linked below; claims in the text link to the specific reference they rely on.