Companies House is the UK’s official register of companies. If you run a limited company in the UK, you must provide specific information that becomes publicly available. This requirement supports a wider framework of corporate openness.
Why Must Company Information Be Public?
When you register a company in the UK, you benefit from limited liability. This means your personal finances are protected if the business incurs debts. In return, the law expects you to be open about how you run your company.
By law, you must submit details about your company’s structure, financials and management. These are reviewed and added to the public register maintained by Companies House. The register is available to everyone and they can search online at no cost. Investors, suppliers, customers and even competitors can check a company’s legitimacy and track record.
Company Information Available on the Public Register
The information available on Companies House helps paint a clear picture of a company’s background and operations. It includes:
- Official company name and registration number
- Date of company incorporation
- Current registered office address
- Names and roles of all directors and company secretaries
- Month and year of directors’ birth, nationality and job title
- Service addresses used by directors and officers
- Names of shareholders and share-related data
- Details of People with Significant Control (PSCs)
- Annual Accounts and Confirmation Statements
- Information on mortgages and company charges
- Records of insolvency proceedings, if applicable
These details allow others to assess a company’s identity, structure and performance before entering into business relationships.
Director and Officer Information
Anyone who becomes a company director must provide personal details to Companies House. These include your full name, nationality, occupation and both a service and residential address. The service address appears on the public register and is where Companies House send official documents. The residential address is kept private but is shared with authorised bodies such as the police or credit reference agencies.
To protect your privacy, avoid using your home address as your service address. Once filed, this information remains on the public register, even if you later resign as a director.
While Companies House collects your full date of birth, they only display the month and year. This measure reduces the risk of identify theft while allowing others to verify your identity.
Shareholder Information
A company must disclose shareholder information both on incorporation and in its annual Confirmation Statements. The public register will show each shareholder’s name, the class and number of shares they hold, and the amount paid for those shares.
In private companies, shareholders who acquire shares after incorporation do not have to provide a service address. However, all shareholder names and ownership details remain visible on the register.
Companies also maintain a register of members, which contains more complete shareholder records. This register must be available for public inspection at the registered office or an alternative inspection location.
People with Significant Control
People with Significant Control are those who own or control more than 25% of a company’s shares or voting rights, or who have the authority to appoint or remove the majority of the board. They must also submit detailed personal information, such as:
- Full name and date of birth (again, they only display the month and year publicly)
- Nationality and country of residence
- Service address (public)
- Usual residential address (private)
- The nature of their control over the company
You must file the information at the time of incorporation or through a Person with Significant Control-specific form if changes occur. The company must update its internal PSC register and inform Companies House within 14 days.
Annual Financial and Non-Financial Filings
All UK companies must file Annual Accounts and a Confirmation Statement with Companies House. These filings allow the public to see how a company is performing and whether it is meeting its obligations.
The financial reports typically include a Profit and Loss account and a Balance Sheet. Larger companies must submit additional reports such as:
- A strategic report detailing the company’s objectives and business model
- A directors’ report outlining governance practices and relationships with stakeholders
- A statement explaining how directors have considered employee and supplier interests
Publicly listed companies have even more responsibilities. They must publish directors’ remuneration reports, corporate governance statements and disclose inside information to the market promptly.
How Long is the Information Available?
Company information remains on the public register for the life of the company. Details of former directors, previous addresses and resigned officers are never deleted. After a company is dissolved, its record remains publicly accessible for 20 years.
Following government reforms, Companies House now retains records of all dissolved companies since 2010 on the register. Eventually, some of these records are transferred to The National Archives, while others are securely destroyed.
Who Can Access the Register?
The Companies House register is open to all. Anyone can search for a company or individual using the official website. You can:
- Search for companies by name or registration number
- Use the Find and Update Company Information tool
- View and download company documents free of charge
- Follow companies and receive email alerts when updates are filed
This access allows anyone to carry out background checks, verify legitimacy or monitor changes in real time. You can even follow your own company to deduct any unauthorised updates.
Protecting Your Privacy
While you must share some personal details publicly, there are ways to protect your privacy. The most effective method is to use a non-residential service address when incorporating your company. Many service providers offer business addresses for a small annual fee.
If your home address appears in older filings, you can apply to have it removed from the public register. You can also apply for additional protections if your role in the company puts you at risk of violence or intimidation.
Furthermore, keep your company’s authentication code private. This unique six-character alphanumeric code allows you to file documents online. Treat it like your bank PIN. If someone else has it, they could change your company’s records without your knowledge.
Signing up for Companies House’s PROOF scheme adds another layer of security. This free service prevents unauthorised paper filings for protected forms, such as changes to company name or directors. It does not apply to Confirmation Statements.
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