Companies House Is Changing: What Every UK Limited Company Needs to Know in 2026
The UK's company register is going through its most significant overhaul in decades. Driven by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), Companies House has been rolling out a series of new requirements since March 2024, with more still coming throughout 2026.
For foreign founders and international business owners running a UK limited company, these changes are not optional and they do not stop at the UK border. Whether you are based in Helsinki, Tallinn, Berlin or Tokyo, your UK company and the people who run it are affected.
This guide covers the key Companies House secretarial changes you need to be aware of right now, what action they require, and what happens if you ignore them.
| Change | Status | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Registered office address rules tightened | Live since Mar 2024 | Review your current address |
| Registered email address required | Live since Mar 2024 | Provide on next confirmation statement |
| Identity verification for directors and PSCs | Mandatory Nov 2025 | Verify before next confirmation statement |
| Director appointments and PSC changes | Ongoing | File within 14 days of change |
| Confirmation statement lawful purpose | Live since Mar 2024 | Include in every annual confirmation statement |
| Local statutory registers no longer required | Live since Nov 2025 | No action, but Companies House now holds this data |
Registered Office Address Requirements for UK Companies: What Changed and What Is Now Illegal
Since 4 March 2024, the rules around what counts as a valid registered office address for a UK limited company became significantly stricter. This is one of the most commonly overlooked changes, especially among foreign-owned companies that set up a UK address quickly during incorporation and never revisited it.
What Does an Appropriate Registered Office Address Mean Now?
Under the new rules, a registered office address is only considered appropriate if both of the following conditions are met:
- Any document sent to the company by hand or post would be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company.
- The delivery of documents to that address can be recorded by an acknowledgement of delivery.
PO Boxes are no longer allowed. A Royal Mail PO Box or similar service from any provider no longer qualifies as an appropriate registered office address. If your UK company currently uses a PO Box as its registered address, you are already non-compliant and need to update this immediately. Companies House has been actively challenging addresses that do not meet the new criteria and can change your address to a default address, giving you 28 days to respond or face strike-off proceedings.
A professional registered office service from a company formation agent or business services provider does qualify, provided it meets the acknowledgement of delivery condition. This is the most practical solution for foreign-owned companies that do not have a physical UK office.
1Office UK offers a professional London address A virtual address service provides businesses with a prestigious physical address, such as in central London, for legal registrations, official correspondence, and branding purposes.
See more →Companies House Identity Verification for Directors and PSCs: Deadlines, Process and What Happens If You Do Not Comply
This is the biggest change of 2025 and the one that catches the most foreign founders off guard. From 18 November 2025, identity verification became a legal requirement for all UK company directors and People with Significant Control (PSCs).
Who Needs to Verify Their Identity with Companies House?
- All directors of UK limited companies, including foreign nationals living outside the UK.
- All People with Significant Control (PSCs), meaning anyone who owns more than 25% of shares, controls more than 25% of voting rights, or otherwise has significant control over the company.
- Anyone incorporating a new UK company from 18 November 2025 onwards.
- Anyone being appointed as a new director or PSC after 18 November 2025 must verify before the appointment can be registered.
18 November 2025 Was Not a Deadline. It Was the Start of a 12-Month Transition.
Existing directors and PSCs have a 12-month transition period. Your practical deadline is the date your company's next confirmation statement is due, not November 2026. You must have verified your identity and provided your Companies House personal code before you can file that confirmation statement. If your confirmation statement is due in February 2026, your effective deadline is February 2026.
How Does Companies House Identity Verification Work for Foreign Nationals?
There are two ways to verify your identity:
- Directly through GOV.UK One Login, free of charge, using a biometric passport or UK driving licence. This can usually be completed in minutes online.
- Through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), which is a registered agent that can verify your identity on your behalf. This is the preferred route for many overseas directors, especially those who do not hold UK-compatible ID documents or who want the process handled professionally.
Once verified, you receive a Companies House personal code. This code must then be provided with your company's confirmation statement and for each company role you hold. You only verify once, but you must link your code to each company where you are a director or PSC.
1Office UK is a registered Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). This means we can carry out identity verification on behalf of directors and PSCs of UK companies. If you or your fellow directors are based outside the UK and want the verification process handled correctly and efficiently, we can take care of it as part of our company secretarial service. Contact us to get your identity verified through 1Office UK →
Non-compliance is a criminal offence. Continuing to act as a director or PSC without completing identity verification after your deadline is an offence under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Consequences include financial penalties, annotation on your company's public record, and in serious cases, prosecution. Companies House has made clear it will take a proportionate but consistent approach to enforcement.
Appointing and Removing Directors at Companies House: Filing Rules, Deadlines and What Foreign Companies Get Wrong
Director changes are among the most frequently needed Companies House filings, and also among the most frequently delayed by foreign-owned companies that are not set up to manage UK compliance on an ongoing basis.
How to Appoint a New Director of a UK Limited Company
When your UK company appoints a new director, you must notify Companies House by filing form AP01 (for individuals) or form AP02 (for corporate directors). This must be done within 14 days of the appointment date. From 18 November 2025, the new director must also have verified their identity with Companies House before the appointment can be registered.
How to Remove a Director from a UK Limited Company
When a director resigns or is removed, you must file form TM01 with Companies House, again within 14 days of the termination date. The outgoing director's details will remain on the public register, but the termination date will be recorded.
Appointment Form
Form AP01 for an individual. Form AP02 for a corporate director. Must be filed within 14 days of appointment.
Resignation Form
Form TM01 for a director termination. Must be filed within 14 days. Late filing does not erase liability for the period of non-filing.
Identity Verification Required
From 18 November 2025, new directors must verify their identity before the appointment is accepted by Companies House.
14-Day Rule
All director changes must be notified to Companies House within 14 days. There is no grace period and late filings are flagged on the public register.
PSC Register Changes at Companies House: Who Counts as a Person with Significant Control and What You Must File
Every UK limited company must maintain an accurate and up-to-date record of its Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) with Companies House. A PSC is any individual who meets one or more of the following conditions:
| Condition | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Ownership of shares | Holds more than 25% of shares in the company |
| Voting rights | Controls more than 25% of voting rights |
| Right to appoint or remove directors | Has the right to appoint or remove the majority of the board |
| Significant influence or control | Exercises significant influence or control over the company |
| Trust or firm | Exercises significant influence or control through a trust or firm that is not a legal person |
Any change to PSC information must be notified to Companies House within 14 days of the change occurring. From 18 November 2025, new PSCs must also verify their identity. Existing PSCs who are also directors must link their personal code to their PSC role within 14 days of the company's next confirmation statement. Existing PSCs who are not directors must do so within 14 days of the first day of their birth month as shown on the register.
What Happens If a Corporate Entity Is a PSC?
If your UK company is owned by another company (a Relevant Legal Entity or RLE), that entity must be listed as a PSC if it meets the thresholds above. Identity verification for corporate PSCs and their relevant officers will commence at a later date, still to be confirmed by Companies House. Individual identity verification requirements do not apply to the corporate entity itself, but a relevant officer of that entity will need to be verified once those requirements come into force.
How to Allot Shares and Record Share Transfers at Companies House: Rules for UK Limited Companies
Changes to your UK company's share structure are another area that requires prompt action with Companies House. Foreign-owned companies frequently delay these filings, which creates discrepancies between the actual ownership of the company and what appears on the public register.
Allotting New Shares in a UK Limited Company
When your company issues new shares (a share allotment), you must file form SH01 (Return of Allotment of Shares) with Companies House within one month of the allotment. The form must include details of the class, number and nominal value of the shares allotted, and the amount paid or to be paid for each share.
Transferring Existing Shares Between Shareholders
A share transfer between existing shareholders or to a new shareholder does not require a separate Companies House form, but it must be reflected in the company's confirmation statement, which is filed annually. The company must also maintain a register of members (shareholder register) which is updated to reflect the transfer. Stamp Duty may apply to share transfers above a certain value and must be paid to HMRC separately.
From 18 November 2025, companies are no longer required to keep their own local statutory registers of directors, secretaries, residential addresses or PSCs. This information is now held centrally at Companies House. However, companies must still maintain their own register of members (shareholders). This is the one local register that has not moved to the central system.
How to Change a Company Name at Companies House: Process, Restrictions and Turnaround Times
Changing the name of your UK limited company requires a shareholder resolution and a Companies House filing. The process is more straightforward than many foreign founders expect, but there are restrictions on what names are permitted.
- A special resolution of the shareholders is required to change the company name (unless the articles of association allow the directors to do this by ordinary resolution).
- Form NM01 must be filed with Companies House along with a copy of the resolution and the filing fee.
- The name change takes effect from the date Companies House issues a new certificate of incorporation on change of name. Processing times can vary but are typically completed within a few working days for online filings.
- The new name must not be the same as or too similar to an existing registered company name, must not contain prohibited words or expressions, and must not be misleading or offensive.
- Since March 2024, Companies House has stronger powers to reject names that include computer code, special characters, or names intended to give a false impression to the public.
Your Old Company Name Remains on the Public Record
Even after a name change, your company's previous name is permanently visible on the Companies House register. Any contracts, invoices or agreements signed under the old name remain legally valid. You do not need to restate them, but you should update your trading name, email addresses, and website as soon as the change is confirmed.
Registered Email Address at Companies House: What UK Companies Must Provide and Why It Matters
Since 4 March 2024, all UK limited companies are required to provide an appropriate email address to Companies House. This applies to new companies at incorporation and to existing companies at the time of their next confirmation statement filing.
The email address is used by Companies House to communicate with the company directly. It is not made public on the register. However, failing to keep it accurate is a criminal offence under the ECCTA 2023.
What Makes an Email Appropriate?
It must be an active address that someone at the company actually monitors. A dormant or unmonitored email address does not comply.
Is It Public?
No. The registered email address is kept by Companies House for correspondence purposes only and is not published on the public register.
What If You Do Not Provide One?
Failure to provide or maintain an accurate email address is a criminal offence. Companies House can annotate the register and take further action.
How to Update It
You can update your registered email address online through the Companies House WebFiling service at any time. It does not require a separate form.
Annual Confirmation Statement for UK Companies: What Has Changed and What Foreign Founders Frequently Miss
Every UK limited company must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months. This is not an accounts filing. It is a snapshot confirming that the information Companies House holds about your company is accurate and up to date.
Since March 2024, the confirmation statement has expanded. Here is what it now includes:
| What Must Be Confirmed | Details |
|---|---|
| Company information check | Registered office, SIC codes, share capital, shareholder details, and statement of capital must all be reviewed and confirmed as accurate |
| Lawful purpose statement | A confirmation that the company's intended future activities are lawful. Required on every confirmation statement since March 2024 |
| Registered email address | An appropriate, actively monitored email address for Companies House correspondence. Required since March 2024 |
| Companies House personal codes | The verified identity codes of all directors and PSCs who have completed identity verification. Required from the 2025 and 2026 filing cycle onwards |
| Filing deadline | Within 14 days of the end of the 12-month review period. No automatic extensions apply |
Missing the confirmation statement is one of the most common reasons UK companies are struck off. The deadline is 14 days after the end of the 12-month review period. For foreign-owned companies with no dedicated compliance support, this filing is frequently missed simply because no one is tracking the date. Unlike a late tax return, there is no automatic extension and no reminder from HMRC.
1Office UK prepares and files confirmation statements for foreign-owned UK companies. We track your filing deadline, compile the required information including personal codes and email address, and submit everything to Companies House on your behalf. You do not need to log into WebFiling or remember when it is due.
Let 1Office UK handle your confirmation statement →Upcoming Companies House Changes in 2026 and Beyond: What UK Companies Should Prepare For Now
The reforms are not finished. Here is what is still coming down the line that foreign founders and UK company owners should be aware of:
| Upcoming Change | Expected Timeline | Who It Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Identity verification for filing presenters | Spring 2026 | Anyone who files documents at Companies House on behalf of a company |
| Software-only accounts filing | Future date TBC | All UK companies filing accounts with Companies House |
| Additional shareholder information required | Future date TBC | All UK limited companies must provide more detail on shareholders |
| Restrictions on corporate directors | Future date TBC | Companies with corporate directors will face new compliance requirements |
Note on profit and loss filing for small companies: Proposed reforms that would have required small companies and micro-entities to file a full profit and loss account with Companies House from April 2027 were officially paused in January 2026. The reforms remain under review. No action is currently required, and businesses will receive at least 21 months notice before any new filing requirement is introduced.
How 1Office UK Helps Foreign Companies Stay on Top of Companies House Requirements
Managing Companies House filings from abroad is one of the most common pain points we hear from foreign founders running a UK limited company. The 14-day filing windows, the identity verification process, the registered office requirements, the confirmation statement, the share allotments. Each one is manageable on its own. Together, across a growing company, they add up quickly.
1Office UK already assists with the full range of Companies House filings and registrations. Whether you need a single change filed or want ongoing secretarial support, we can help.
Need something filed at Companies House or updated at the register? Tell us what you need and we will take care of it. Director changes, PSC updates, share allotments, confirmation statements, registered office, identity verification as an ACSP. Whatever the change, contact us with your requirements.
Contact 1Office UK with your Companies House needs →Need a Change Made at Companies House? 1Office UK Can Handle It.
From director appointments and PSC updates to confirmation statements and identity verification, we manage Companies House filings for foreign-owned UK companies. Tell us what you need and we will take it from there.
Contact 1Office UK with Your Requirements →
