UK kickstarts voluntary identity verification for companies

The UK government has launched a new identity verification service for company directors and individuals with corporate control. As of Tuesday, individuals can verify their identity directly with Companies House through the country’s digital identity system GOV.UK One Login.

Companies House, which maintains the UK’s company register, notes that the process is currently voluntary. However, the service is expected to become mandatory after identity verification becomes a legal requirement later this year as required under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCT Act).

“We expect identity verification to become mandatory from autumn 2025,” says Companies House CEO Louise Smyth.

Businesses in the UK have until the end of 2026 to comply with new identity verification requirements which will be introduced in several phases. More than 6 million individuals are expected to comply with the identity verification scheme, introduced to increase transparency and prevent fraud and other crimes.

“Identity verification will play a key role in improving the quality and reliability of our data and tackling misuse of the companies register,” says Smyth.

Aside from directors and people with significant control (PSCs), verification is mandatory for anyone acting on behalf of a company.

To verify themselves online through GOV.UK, individuals can submit a biometric passport, a UK photo driving license, a biometric residence permit (BRP) a biometric residence card (BRC), or a Frontier Worker permit (FWP).

Individuals can also verify their identity through Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs), third-party anti-money laundering supervised firms such as accountants, legal professionals and company formation agents.

Article Topics

Companies House  |  digital identity  |  document verification  |  Gov.UK  |  identity verification  |  KYB  |  One Login  |  selfie biometrics  |  UK