Big changes are
coming to how company directors and individuals with significant control (PSCs)
verify their identity with Companies House. As part of a major set of reforms
aimed at increasing corporate transparency and accuracy in the register,
identity verification will become a key requirement for many involved in
running limited companies in the UK.
What’s
Changing?
Currently ID
verification is on a voluntary basis for:
Company
directors
Individuals
with significant control (PSCs)
From 18 November 2025, these requirements will become mandatory for all new
company incorporations and new appointments. Existing directors will have 12
months to complete their ID verification from autumn 2025.
Who Will
This Affect?
These reforms
are expected to impact approximately 7.4 million existing directors in the UK.
Anyone involved in managing a UK company, or holding significant control over
one, will need to ensure their identity is verified through the new process.
It is not only
directors and PSCs, third party agents who will be submitting information to
Companies House on behalf of others, will now be required to register and
verify their own identities.
Why These
Changes Are Being Introduced
The enhanced
powers granted to Companies House are designed to:
Improve the accuracy and integrity
of company data
Enhance transparency around who
owns and controls companies
Making it harder to submit false or
misleading information
Requiring identity
verification ensures Companies House can confidently identify who is filing
information and acting on behalf of companies. It also allows for faster
detection of agents who may be acting unlawfully, and appropriate action can be
taken.
Authorised
Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs)
In the future,
all third-party providers (such as accountants, solicitors, and company
formation agents) will need to register as Authorised Corporate Service
Providers (ACSPs) in order to:
Submit information to Companies
House
Conduct ID verification checks on
clients
An ACSP must be
a business supervised under Money Laundering Regulations.
We will be becoming
an ACSP and will be providing this identity verification service to our
clients. While official guidance and full details are still limited at this
stage, we’ll be contacting everyone affected as soon as more information
becomes available.
What should
you do now?
Be
aware that ID verification is voluntary for now, but will become mandatory
by 18 November 2025
Start
preparing for these changes, get your passport and driving licence up to date
if they have expired
Keep
an eye on updates from us
We’ll continue
to monitor developments closely and keep you informed. Contact us at our Cardiff office or Bridgend office if you want to discuss Companies House ID Verification.
Hello and welcome to April — the start of a brand-new
financial year! As always, this time of year brings fresh updates from the Government and one of the most notable changes on the horizon is HMRC’s ‘Making
Tax Digital’ for Income Tax Self-Assessment which is coming into affect from April 2026. This is directly affecting
small businesses trading through self assessment, and property landlords.
What’s Changing?
If you’re used to submitting a Self-Assessment tax return
once a year, things are about to change. HMRC is moving towards quarterly
reporting, much like what VAT-registered businesses already do. This means
instead of sending in your figures once a year, you’ll now be expected to
submit updates every three months, using Accounting software compatible with
HMRC, the spreadsheet will become a thing of the past.
Who Does This Affect?
This will roll out in phases:
From
April 2026: If your total self-employed or property turnover is over
£50,000, you’ll be required to comply.
From
April 2027: The threshold lowers to £30,000.
This applies to landlords as well as sole traders, so even
if you're just renting out property and not running a business, this could
still apply to you.
What Should You Do?
If you're likely to be affected, don’t panic. We’ll be in
touch with you individually to discuss the best approach and make sure you’re
set up well in advance.
It’s worth noting that HMRC has already changed the start
date a few times, so we are still in the early days of implementation.
Information is a little light at the moment from HMRC side of things, but we’ll
keep you updated as soon as we know more.
Here to Help
We know this might feel like a big shift, and it’s
perfectly normal to feel unsure about how it will all work. If this news has
left you with questions or concerns, please call or message us — we're here to
help guide you through it all.
Filing your tax
return as early as possible comes with several advantages. It removes the
stress of last-minute submissions, allowing you to focus entirely on running
your business. The self-assessment deadline of 31st January remains unchanged
every year, yet HMRC reported that 2.6 million people had not filed their tax
returns just two days before the deadline last year.
Missing the
deadline results in an automatic £100 fine, with additional penalties for
further delays. If your return is more than three months late, daily fines of
£10 start accumulating—leading to significant penalties you’ll want to avoid.
You can submit
your tax return as soon as April 6th, and filing early comes with a major
advantage: you don’t have to pay your tax bill immediately. The payment
deadline remains in January, giving you plenty of time to budget for what you
owe. Plus, if you’re due a tax refund, filing early ensures you receive it much
sooner—unlike those who file in January, when HMRC experiences delays due to
high demand.
With a little
organisation, you can get your paperwork sorted and your tax return submitted
well in advance—leaving you free to enjoy the festive season stress-free.
Filing correctly is crucial, as you don’t want to risk overpaying or
underpaying your taxes. Seeking professional advice can help ensure accuracy
and peace of mind.
Contact us
on www.crossaccountingservice.co.uk if
you have any concerns regarding your tax return as we are always here to help.
