By Nathalie Romain, Client Legal Director
You’ve got enough responsibilities without Companies House dropping new compliance requirements on your desk. But ignoring these changes isn’t an option and the good news is, getting ahead of them is simpler than you think.
From Autumn 2025, sweeping new identity verification rules are coming into force that will affect every company director, Person with Significant Control (PSC), and anyone who files documents with Companies House. If you’re running a growing business without dedicated legal support, these changes are about to land squarely on your desk.
What’s Actually Changing?
The government is cracking down on corporate fraud through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. The scale of the problem is significant: Which? found that over 10,000 people applied to have their addresses removed from Companies House in 2022 after discovering they were being used without consent, while applications from directors who ‘had not consented to act’ reached 2,432 – up 59% in just three years. Companies House and the Insolvency Service have identified 30 entities that incorporated up to 50,000 companies for illicit activities, with 10,000 companies now being removed from the register.
The new rules will require mandatory identity verification for all directors, PSCs, and those filing on behalf of companies. From autumn 2025, you won’t be able to incorporate a company or appoint new directors without verified identities. Existing directors have until autumn 2026 to complete their verification.
This isn’t just paperwork. The changes restrict who can file documents with Companies House: only verified individuals will be allowed to submit information. Get it wrong, and you’re looking at criminal sanctions or civil fines.
Key Dates to Remember:
- 18th March 2025: ACSPs can begin registering
- 8th April 2025: Voluntary verification begins
- Autumn 2025: Mandatory verification for new directors/PSCs
- Autumn 2026: Existing directors must complete verification
- 1st September 2025 extension of corporate criminal liability to employees and agents
Why this matters to you
If you’re a CEO, CFO or founder juggling legal responsibilities alongside everything else, these requirements are heading straight for your to-do list. Unlike many compliance obligations that sit quietly in the background, these ones have teeth.
The penalties for non-compliance include potential criminal sanctions and civil fines. More practically, unverified directors won’t be able to file essential documents, which could disrupt everything from routine filings to major transactions. If you’re planning funding rounds, preparing for an exit, or simply trying to keep operations running smoothly, verification delays could throw a spanner in the works.
For businesses that have grown without building solid legal foundations, this is a wake-up call. The “we’ve never had a problem before” approach won’t work when verification becomes mandatory. Hidden compliance gaps that you didn’t know existed could suddenly become very visible and very expensive.
Your 0ptions
You have three routes to get this sorted:
Option 1: Do it yourself. Directors can verify their identity directly through Companies House’s new digital service or by visiting a participating Post Office. If you’ve got the time and don’t mind navigating new government systems, this is the cheapest route.
Option 2: Use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). This is a new category of professional service provider that can handle identity verification on your behalf. ACSPs can be accountants, solicitors, or other qualified professionals who register with Companies House and meet specific requirements, including being supervised for anti-money laundering purposes.
Option 3: Get professional support. If the thought of managing this process across multiple directors and PSCs makes your head spin, consider working with someone who can handle the entire process and ensure you stay compliant with all the requirements.
When choosing an ACSP or professional service, look for providers who understand the commercial pressures you’re under. You need someone who can explain what’s required without drowning you in legal theory, and who can handle the process efficiently without creating more work for you.
Getting ahead
The smart move is to start preparing now, rather than waiting for the deadlines. Begin by auditing your current structure: who are your directors and PSCs? Do you have people in these roles who might be difficult to contact or reluctant to go through verification processes?
Think about this as part of building proper legal foundations for your business. Companies that have grown quickly often have informal arrangements or outdated records that work fine day-to-day but become problematic when scrutinised. The verification process is a good opportunity to tidy up your corporate structure and ensure everything is properly documented.
Consider how these changes fit with your broader business plans. If you’re planning to bring on new directors, raise funding, or prepare for an exit, having verification sorted early removes one potential source of delay or complication.
The verification requirements also extend to anyone filing documents on your behalf. If you use external providers for company secretarial services, make sure they’re prepared for the changes and have plans to become ACSPs where necessary.
The bottom line
These changes are happening whether you’re ready or not. The government has made it clear that cleaning up Companies House is a priority, and the new verification requirements are just the beginning of stricter oversight.
Rather than seeing this as another burden, view it as an opportunity to put your legal house in order. Getting ahead of these requirements now means you can handle them on your terms, rather than scrambling to meet deadlines when you’ve got other priorities competing for your attention.
Most importantly, don’t let this sit in your “deal with later” pile. The deadlines are firm, the penalties are real, and the longer you leave it, the more complicated it becomes.
Other changes coming your way
From 1st September 2025, the Act also extends corporate criminal liability. This means organisations can be held accountable for fraud committed by their employees or agents, not just directors. It also introduces a new offence of failure to prevent fraud. Businesses will, as a minimum, need to update internal controls and relevant policies and procedures, conduct risks assessments and train senior managers and staff to ensure they can demonstrate they have reasonable fraud prevention measures in place.
Here to help
Not sure where your business stands or where to start? Get in touch with me on nathalie.romain@thelegaldirector.co.uk or 07931 146 605 for an informal chat. Or contact us on info@thelegaldirector.co.uk to find out more about The Legal Free Desk, our focused legal risk diagnostic audit for SMEs.
