What the New Companies House ID Verification Rules Mean for ACSPs

In a major effort to tackle economic crime and improve the reliability of company data, Companies House is introducing sweeping changes to its identity verification process. These updates are being rolled out under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, and they bring significant implications for both businesses and their accountants - particularly Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs).

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What’s Changing?

The identity verification process is being overhauled to ensure that anyone setting up, managing, or controlling a UK company has had their identity verified. ACSPs like us now play a central role in this system, acting as approved agents who can carry out identity checks and submit verified data directly to Companies House.

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Key Implications for ACSPs

The changes bring a number of new responsibilities for ACSPs, including:

• More rigorous due diligence – ID checks must meet a higher standard, and records must be kept.
• Technology requirements – Firms must use compliant systems to verify and submit identity data.
• Ongoing compliance monitoring – ACSPs will be held accountable for the accuracy and validity of ID submissions.
• Reporting obligations – Expect more detailed data to be submitted as part of regular filings.

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How Will This Affect Businesses?

For companies, the new rules mean a few additional steps when forming a new entity or appointing a director or PSC (Person with Significant Control). While this might increase admin slightly, the end goal is a more secure and trustworthy business environment.

Here’s what this means in practical terms:

• Longer lead times – Incorporations and filings may take slightly longer due to the added ID checks.
• Stronger fraud prevention – ID verification will help stop false filings and identity misuse.
• Improved credibility – A more transparent register increases confidence in UK businesses.

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Timeline to Be Aware Of

The changes are being introduced gradually to give businesses and agents time to prepare. Key dates include:

• 18 March 2025 – ACSP registration opens for third-party providers.
• 8 April 2025 – Voluntary identity verification begins for directors and PSCs.
• Autumn 2025 – Verification becomes mandatory for all new appointments.
• Spring 2026 – Only ACSPs will be permitted to submit filings on behalf of clients.

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Opportunities and Challenges

There are plenty of positives here - greater transparency, a cleaner register, and more accountability. But businesses and advisors will also need to navigate a few practical challenges:

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Benefits

• Lower risk of identity fraud
• Greater public trust in company data
• Clearer governance processes

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Challenges

• Upfront training and process changes
• Tech updates for compliance systems
• Time and cost investment to adapt

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What We’re Doing

As a registered ACSP, our firm is fully equipped to support clients through these changes. We will be contacting clients for certified ID where we don’t already hold compliant documentation and will handle the verification and submission process directly with Companies House.
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If you're unsure what this means for you or want help getting your business compliant, get in touch. We’re here to guide you through every step of the new framework - clearly and compliantly.

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