Companies House identity verification rollout: "Hopefully it will show directors who consistently phoenix"

Companies House has announced that, starting November this year, legal requirements for directors and people with significant control (PSCs) of companies to verify their identities will begin. Business owners have queried why it has taken so long to get to this point, with one saying “hopefully it will clearly show those directors who consistently phoenix their companies”.

From 18 November 2025, new directors will need to verify their identity to incorporate a company or be appointed to an existing company; existing directors will need to confirm they have verified their identity at the same time as they file their next annual confirmation statement, during a 12-month transition period; while existing PSCs will need to verify their identity in line with an appointed day within 12 months of the commencement of mandatory identity verification on 18 November.

The rollout of identity verification, Companies House says, will boost business and support growth by giving more assurance about who is setting up, running and controlling companies in the UK. Companies of all sizes, it adds, will benefit from more accurate and trustworthy register data and greater protections against fraud.

Companies House estimates that 6 to 7 million individuals will need to verify their identity by mid-November 2026. It claims that, for most people, this will be a one-off process that can be done in a few minutes.

From 18 November, directors and PSCs will also be able to check the Companies House register to see identity verification due dates for all their roles.

Companies House CEO, Louise Smyth CBE, said: “Identity verification will play a key role in improving the quality and reliability of our data and tackling misuse of the companies register. To support business and help people verify their identities, Companies House is contacting all companies with advice and guidance. This is part of a coordinated effort to help companies to comply. We encourage people to verify as early as possible. More than 300,000 individuals have already done so during the current voluntary period, which started in April.”

Stephen Perkins, Managing Director at Yellow Brick Mortgages, said: “Verifying my identity with companies house was quick and easy. This is something that should always have been in place, but wasn’t. It should make it clearer who owns what companies and protect against fraud. Hopefully it will clearly show those directors who consistently phoenix their companies.”

Ollie Hayes, Director at Bath-based gym, So Fit Bath, agreed: “How — and why — is this only being done now? I know someone who had a company set up in their name, which they didn’t have a clue about for a few years. Thankfully, once they'd found out they managed to get their name removed. It’s startling how easy it has been for this to happen. This is a welcome step from Companies House but it does feel like they are behind the curve.”

Meanwhile, Sam Alsop-Hall, Co-Founder at Clive Henry Group, added: "As someone with 11 companies and stakes in several more, the idea of verifying my identity across every directorship and PSC role already feels like a full-time job. I just hope Companies House has thought through the rollout and made it as simple as calling my IT helpdesk to reset my password, which I seem to do at least once a week.

"That said, I welcome the change. This isn’t just about admin, it’s about accountability. Stronger identity checks will support proper enforcement of fiduciary duties, make it harder for bad actors to disappear and reappear through phoenix companies, and help create a fairer playing field for those running businesses properly.

“If the UK wants to remain a credible and investable place to do business, changes like this are essential. It’s a bit of effort now, but the long-term benefits to trust, transparency and fairness make it worthwhile.”