5 Companies House Changes in 2025 That Will Affect Your Business

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) is transforming how UK companies interact with Companies House. After years of planning, 2025 marks the beginning of the biggest changes to company law in decades. If you run a UK limited company, these changes will directly affect you.

This guide covers the five most significant changes, with clear timelines and action steps for each.

Quick Reference: Key Dates at a Glance

1. Identity Verification (18 November 2025)

This is the headline change. From 18 November 2025, all company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) must verify their identity with Companies House.

What's Changing

Companies House is introducing mandatory identity verification to combat fraud and improve the accuracy of the company register. Every individual who holds a position of responsibility in a UK company will need to prove who they are.

Once verified, you receive a personal code that links your verified identity to your Companies House filings. This code stays with you across all companies you're involved with.

The Timeline

Important: The November 2025 date is not a deadline - it's when the legal requirement begins. You then have 12 months to comply.

However, there's a catch: you must verify before filing your company's next confirmation statement. If your confirmation statement is due in January 2026, your actual deadline is January 2026, not November 2026.

Who Must Verify

• All company directors
• All people with significant control (PSCs)
• Anyone filing documents on behalf of a company (from spring 2026)

Companies House estimates that 6 to 7 million individuals will need to verify their identity.

How to Verify

You have two options:

Option 1: GOV.UK One Login (Free)

• Verify online through the GOV.UK One Login service
• Requires a valid UK passport or driving licence
• Typically completed in minutes
• No cost

Option 2: Through an ACSP (Fee applies)

• Use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (your accountant, for example)
• Useful if you don't have UK ID documents
• Typically costs around £35 plus VAT
• The ACSP must be registered with Companies House

What You Need to Do

1. Before April 2025: Check your passport or driving licence is valid and up to date
2. April - November 2025: Consider verifying early to avoid the rush
3. Check your confirmation statement date: This determines your real deadline
4. If using an accountant: Confirm they're registering as an ACSP (see below)

Consequences of Non-Compliance

If you don't verify when required:

• You cannot legally act as a director or PSC
• You may face prosecution and fines
• Your filings will be rejected
• The company could face administrative penalties

2. ACSP Registration (18 March 2025)

If your accountant or formation agent files documents on your behalf, this change affects you indirectly.

What's Changing

From 18 March 2025, accountants, company formation agents, and other third parties who file with Companies House must register as Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs).

This creates a regulated tier of professional filers. Only registered ACSPs will be able to:

• Verify client identities on their behalf
• File documents for clients (from spring 2026)
• Access certain Companies House services

The Timeline

During the transitional period (March 2025 to spring 2026), accountants can still file without being registered. But they cannot verify identities until they register.

Registration Requirements

To register as an ACSP, a business must:

• Be supervised by a UK Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory body
• Pay a registration fee of £55
• Meet ongoing compliance requirements

There are currently 25 AML supervisory bodies in the UK, including professional accounting bodies like ICAEW, ACCA, and AAT.

What You Need to Do

If you use an accountant or agent:

1. Ask if they're planning to register as an ACSP
2. Confirm the timeline for when they'll be registered
3. Understand how identity verification will work - will they verify you, or do you need to do it yourself?

If you file everything yourself, this change doesn't directly affect you.

3. Registered Email Requirement (Already Live)

This change is already in effect, but many companies haven't yet complied.

What's Changing

Every UK company must now have a registered email address on file with Companies House. This is separate from any personal email addresses and is used exclusively for official Companies House communications.

When It Took Effect

If you've filed a confirmation statement since March 2024, you should already have provided an email address. If you haven't filed since then, you'll need to include it on your next filing.

Key Points

• One email per company - not one per director
• Private by default - the email address is not shown on the public register
• Used by Companies House only - for reminders, queries, and official notices
• Must be monitored - emails sent should reach someone acting on behalf of the company

What Qualifies as "Appropriate"

The email must be one where, in the ordinary course of events, messages from Companies House would be expected to come to the attention of someone acting on behalf of the company.

A dedicated company email is ideal. Using a personal email that's monitored is acceptable. An abandoned email address that nobody checks is not.

What You Need to Do

1. Check your last confirmation statement - did you provide an email?
2. If not, include it on your next filing
3. Set up a dedicated email if you don't want to use a personal address
4. Add the address to your spam whitelist to ensure you receive messages

Changing Your Email Later

If you need to update your registered email, you cannot do this via the confirmation statement. You must update it separately through your Companies House online account.

4. Company Register Changes (18 November 2025)

This is actually good news - it simplifies your administrative burden.

What's Changing

From 18 November 2025, companies will no longer be required to maintain certain internal registers. Instead, Companies House becomes the single source of truth for this information.

Registers Being Abolished

You will no longer need to keep your own:

• Register of directors
• Register of directors' residential addresses
• Register of secretaries
• PSC register

Instead of maintaining these internally and then notifying Companies House of changes, you'll simply file changes directly with Companies House. The public will rely on the centrally held records.

What Stays the Same

Register of members (shareholders): This must still be kept locally at your registered office or SAIL (Single Alternative Inspection Location). In fact, the option to hold the register of members centrally at Companies House is being removed.

What You Need to Do

Technically, nothing is required. This change removes obligations rather than adding them.

However, consider whether you want to continue maintaining these registers voluntarily. For corporate governance purposes, having your own internal records of directors and shareholders can still be useful, even if not legally required.

Practical Impact

• Fewer statutory registers to maintain
• One less thing to update when directors change
• Simpler compliance for small companies
• No risk of your internal register being out of sync with Companies House

5. Fee Changes (1 February 2026)

From 1 February 2026, most Companies House fees are increasing significantly.

What's Changing

Why the Increases?

The fee increases fund Companies House's expanded role under ECCTA:

• Identity verification systems
• Enhanced data validation
• Law enforcement collaboration
• Modernised digital infrastructure

Companies House notes that even after the increases, UK fees remain low by international standards. The UK moves from roughly 17th to 21st lowest globally for incorporation costs.

Important: Timing Matters

Fees are charged based on when you submit, not when the review period ends or when the document is dated.

For example, if your confirmation statement review period ends on 25 January 2026 but you submit on 5 February 2026, you pay the new higher fee.

What You Need to Do

1. File any pending submissions before 1 February 2026 if possible
2. Budget for higher annual costs - confirmation statements cost £16 more each year
3. Consider paper vs online - the gap is now much larger (£110 vs £50 for confirmation statements)
4. Factor into pricing if you're a formation agent or accountant charging for filings

One Fee Going Down

The voluntary strike-off fee is decreasing from £33 to £13 when filed digitally. If you have dormant companies to close, this becomes cheaper from February 2026.

How These Changes Work Together

These five changes are all part of ECCTA's broader goal: making the UK company register more accurate, transparent, and resistant to fraud.

The identity verification requirement ensures that directors and PSCs are real people. The ACSP registration creates accountability for professional filers. The registered email ensures Companies House can reach companies. The register changes simplify compliance. And the fee increases fund it all.

For most small company directors, the practical impact is:

1. Verify your identity by your confirmation statement date (but no later than November 2026)
2. Check your accountant is registering as an ACSP
3. Ensure you've provided an email to Companies House
4. Budget for higher fees from February 2026
5. Enjoy simpler administration from November 2025

How AccountsOS Helps

AccountsOS tracks all your Companies House deadlines automatically, including:

• Confirmation statement due dates
• Annual accounts filing deadlines
• Identity verification requirements

We'll remind you when action is needed and flag upcoming compliance requirements before they become urgent. Combined with our Companies House integration, you'll never miss a deadline or forget a filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do I need to verify my identity?

You have until 18 November 2026, but you must verify before filing your company's next confirmation statement. If your confirmation statement is due in March 2026, that's your effective deadline.

Can I verify my identity now?

Voluntary verification opens on 8 April 2025. Before that date, you cannot verify. Consider verifying early to beat the rush.

What if I don't have a UK passport or driving licence?

You can verify through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), such as your accountant. They can verify your identity using alternative documents.

Does my accountant need to be an ACSP?

If your accountant files documents with Companies House on your behalf, yes - they'll need to register as an ACSP by spring 2026 to continue filing for you.

What happens if I don't comply with identity verification?

You cannot legally act as a director or file documents. You may face prosecution and fines. Companies House will reject your filings.

Do the register changes mean I don't need to keep any records?

You no longer need statutory registers of directors, secretaries, and PSCs. However, you must still keep your register of members (shareholders) locally. And maintaining good internal records is still advisable for corporate governance.

Can I avoid the fee increase by filing early?

Yes. If you submit before 1 February 2026, you pay the current lower fees. This applies even if the review period or made-up date falls after February 2026.

Will these changes affect dormant companies?

Yes. Dormant companies must still file confirmation statements, maintain a registered email, and have directors verify their identity. The requirements apply to all UK limited companies.

This article was last updated on 28 January 2026. Companies House requirements may change. Always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK or consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your circumstances.