Last week, we covered the new requirement for directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) to verify their identities from 18 November 2025. This process will be rolled out over 12 months, with Companies House reaching out directly to companies, providing guidance on what actions need to be taken and the deadlines for each step.

According to Companies House, ID verification is a significant step forward for UK businesses and offers numerous benefits. Ensuring that company directors and PSCs verify their identities, will help make sure that the people setting up, running and controlling companies are who they say they are.

This is intended to:

• improve the accuracy and reliability of data on the register;
• strengthen protections against fraud; and
• support a more transparent and trusted business environment.

This also enhances the credibility of data held by Companies House, which is important for businesses looking to build trust with investors, consumers and potential business partners. A verified presence on the register can help a business demonstrate they are legitimate and professional, helping them stand out in the competitive business landscape.

The introduction of ID verification will also make it harder for fraudsters or criminals to create anonymous corporate structures for illicit activities. This added layer of security strengthens the business environment by reducing the risks associated with fraud and economic crime.

For businesses, being listed on Companies House with verified details can boost credibility, aiding in securing contracts, attracting investors and accessing finance. It can also enhance opportunities for due diligence, helping companies evaluate potential suppliers and customers more confidently.

From 18 November 2025, all company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will be legally required to verify their identity at Companies House. This verification is being phased in over 12 months and Companies House is contacting companies directly with guidance regarding what needs to be done and by when.

These changes are intended to help ensure that people setting up, running and controlling companies are who they say they are. An estimated 6 to 7 million people will need to verify their identity by November 2026. The verification process will usually be a one-time requirement. Verification can be undertaken directly with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).

If you are using GOV.UK One Login you will be asked simple questions to find the best way for you to verify your identity. You must provide answers about yourself, not your company. Depending on your answers, you will then be guided to verify:

• with an app 
• by answering security questions online 
• by entering your details from your photo ID on GOV.UK One Login first, then going to a participating Post Office

To verify your identity at Companies House, you can use the GOV.UK online verification service if you have one of several accepted photo identification documents. These include a biometric passport from any country, a full or provisional UK photo driving licence, a UK biometric residence permit or card or a UK Frontier Worker permit.

If you do not have any of the accepted forms of photo ID but live in the UK, there are alternative ways to verify your identity. This includes verifying your identity in-person at a Post Office or using details from your bank or building society account together with your National Insurance number.

If you are unable to verify your identity using any of the available online or in-person methods, you can appoint an ACSP, such as an accountant or solicitor to verify your identity on your behalf. The ACSP must be registered with Companies House and a UK Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory body. You will need to provide approved documents as evidence of your identity and the agent may charge a fee for their services.

Thinking of starting a company at 16? Know the rules, risks and responsibilities before you take the leap.

The Companies Act 2006 does not set a minimum age for shareholders, meaning even minors can hold shares unless a company’s articles of association explicitly state otherwise. However, the minimum age for a company director in the UK is 16 years.

Directors carry significant legal responsibilities, including ensuring that company accounts and reports are accurate and filed on time with the relevant authorities. Even if the company is dormant, you must still submit confirmation statements and accounts annually without fail.

Setting up a company is generally straightforward, but being a director comes with serious ongoing responsibilities. These duties are not just formalities, and failure to meet them can lead to personal fines, disqualification or even imprisonment.

Even dormant companies must file annual accounts and confirmation statements regularly. While directors can delegate daily tasks, such as hiring an accountant or other professionals, they remain legally responsible for the company’s records, accounts, and overall performance.

Seeking professional advice before starting a company is highly recommended, especially for a 16-year-old unlikely to have all the necessary business knowledge.

Company directors have a legal duty to act responsibly and in the best interests of their business. If a director fails to meet these responsibilities, they can face disqualification from acting as a company director for up to 15 years.

Disqualification can result from ‘unfit conduct,’ which includes actions such as trading while insolvent, failing to maintain proper accounting records, neglecting to submit statutory accounts to Companies House, not paying taxes or using company money or assets for personal benefit. It can also occur if a director is subject to bankruptcy or a Debt Relief Order.

The disqualification process typically begins when The Insolvency Service investigates a company involved in insolvency proceedings or responds to complaints. If misconduct is suspected, the director will be informed in writing and given the option to either defend the case in court or voluntarily accept a disqualification through a formal disqualification undertaking. Other authorities including Companies House, the courts or a company insolvency practitioner can also initiate disqualification proceedings.

Once disqualified, an individual cannot be involved in forming, marketing or running a company or be a director of any company registered in the UK or an overseas company that has connections with the UK. Breaking these rules can lead to a fine or imprisonment. Disqualified directors are listed on public registers maintained by Companies House and The Insolvency Service.

Under the Companies Act 2006, dividends can only be paid from realised profits, never from capital, no matter what a company’s Articles of Association say.

Dividends can only be paid by a company out of profits available for distribution, not from capital, even if the company’s Articles of Association suggest otherwise. This rule is established under Companies Act 2006, section 830, and forms a key legal restriction on dividend payments.

Profits available for distribution are defined as a company’s accumulated, realised profits (from both revenue and capital), not previously distributed or capitalised, minus its accumulated, realised losses, provided these losses haven’t already been written off through a formal reduction or reorganisation of capital.

HMRC’s internal manuals go further and state that the Act lays down what may be termed the ‘balance sheet surplus’ method of determining profits available for distribution. Under this, a company can distribute the net profit on both capital and revenue at the particular time, as shown by the relevant accounts.

Additional rules apply to certain types of companies including investment and public companies.