From 3 March 2024, Companies House expects to enact its new powers under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act to query information provided to its Register. Accountants should review their client's registered details to ensure that they comply accordingly.

You can expect:

These early changes aim to stop fraudulent information being accepted and published on the register. 

Filing changes

Small companies and micro-entities will be required to prepare annual accounts in accordance with the requirements of section 396 Compaines Act 2006:

Company accounts will need to be filed digitally in iXBRL form and tagged.

Further reforms give new powers to the Registrar including identity checks for directors and restrictions on corporate directorships.

Future plans

The Government's 'Corporate Transparency & Register Reform White Paper' set out the next stages in its plans for wide-ranging reforms to the powers and role of Companies House. It aims to achieve the following:

The exact timescale for the introduction for the remaining measures to come into force in 2024 is not yet clear it forms part of the Companies House's five-year strategy.

Improving the quality & value of financial information 

In order to improve the quality and value of the financial information held on the Register, there are proposed:

Other proposed changes include:

Powers of the Registrar

The Registrar will be given new powers to increase the integrity of the information held by the Register which includes:

Corporate directors

The Government has the power to prohibit the appointment of corporate entities to company boards. It proposes to amend the rules to restrict the appointment of corporate directors, as follows:

The start date for amendment to these rules is to be announced, the reforms will be made using secondary legislation

Small print & Links

These are all to external links

Corporate Transparency & Register reform, white paper

Previous consultations in December 2022, closed in February 2021.

Implementing the ban on corporate directors

Powers of the registrar

Improving the quality and value of financial information on the UK companies register

Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill 2022: Factsheets


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