UK Companies House sets a date for identity verification requirement

Companies House, the UK’s government-operated company registry, is introducing mandatory identity verification for company directors and people with significant control (PSCs).

Starting from November 18th, new directors will need to verify their identity to incorporate a company or be appointed to an existing company, while existing directors and PSCs will need to confirm they have verified their identity during a 12-month transition period.

More than 300,000 individuals have already performed identity verification during the ongoing voluntary period, which started in April, according to Companies House CEO Louise Smyth. Between six and seven million individuals are expected to verify their identity by mid-November 2026.

“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.

Verification can be performed through the GOV.UK One Login, which relies on technology from iProov and its subcontractors Veriff and Inverid. Earlier this year, the UK’s Government Digital Service clarified the platform’s privacy policy.

“By introducing identity verification through GOV.UK One Login, we’re using technology to make life easier for people,” says AI and Digital Government Minister Feryal Clark.

Aside from the digital identity platform, company owners can also verify their identity through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), such as a law firm or compliance vendor.

The verification process is part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), which took effect in July. The regulation is aimed at combating economic crime, including cracking down on the misuse of the UK companies register.

The government notes that the introduction of identity verification has wide public support. Over 80 percent of respondents support the implementation of the process, according to a survey by YouGov.

CFIT continues work on UK Digital Company ID

The London-based Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT), which has been developing a prototype of the Digital Company ID, has announced a new CEO starting from September.

Former Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Gates Foundation executive Anna Wallace is joining the partly government-funded organization with a mission to advance projects related to digital ID, smart data, financial inclusion, digital assets and AI.

“From a standing start, the organisation has coordinated multiple industry-wide Coalitions on some of the biggest themes and emerging technologies in fintech, such as Smart Data and Digital ID, as well as taking the crucial first steps to unblock the seemingly intractable barriers to innovation,” says Wallace.

In March, CFIT published its blueprint for Digital Company ID, followed by the launch of three industry-led working groups, focusing on a prototype. Approximately 70 organizations have joined the effort including biometric technology providers such as Daon, Yoti and OneID.

Among the key partners of the project is the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), which recently announced a fresh partnership with Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office.

The duo plans to link Swiss business registry data with Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) records, streamlining due diligence processes, such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Supplier (KYS). Each LEI will be embedded with a URL connecting to the Swiss Enterprise Identification Number, or UID, register, allowing users access to verified company information.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Centre for Finance Innovation and Technology (CFIT)  |  Companies House  |  digital company ID  |  GLEIF  |  identity verification  |  KYB  |  Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)  |  One Login  |  UK digital ID