Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to accelerate the implementation of mandatory identity verification for (a) company directors and (b) beneficial owners at Companies House.

Companies House plan to implement identity verification requirements under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 for all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) from Autumn 2025. Existing directors and PSCs will have a 12-month transition period to verify their identity with Companies House.

Companies House has already launched the service that allows people to verify their identity directly or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider in advance of the requirement coming into force.