Companies House will be introducing a new identity verification process to help deter those wishing to use companies for illegal purposes.
Anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a company in the UK will need to verify their identity to prove they are who they claim to be.
Over the coming months, Companies House will be explaining when these changes will come into effect and how the identity verification process will work.
Who needs to verify their identity
For new companies, all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will need to complete identity verification.
Identity verification will also apply to other registration types. For example, any members of a limited liability partnership (LLP) will also need to verify their identity.
For existing companies, all directors (or equivalent) and PSCs will have a transition period to verify their identity with Companies House.
You will also need to verify clients’ identity before you can file information at Companies House.
Verifying identity directly with Companies House
Companies House will put in place a service to verify identity using ID documents, such as a passport. There will be a range of support and services available to help companies complete this process.
Verifying identity by agents
Companies House authorised agents, also known as Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs), are individuals or organisations that undertake anti-money laundering (AML) supervised activity, such as:
- company formation agents
- solicitors
- accountants
Authorised agents already have a duty to conduct due diligence checks on all their clients. The Companies House identity verification process will build on these existing checks.
Identity verification checks by authorised agents must meet the same level of assurance as those who verify directly with Companies House.
Companies House will be publishing detailed guidance for authorised agents on these identity verification requirements.
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