Major Companies House reforms for 2025–26: What SMEs need to know
A series of significant changes to Companies House rules and processes are currently being implemented with more expected in the coming months. These updates are part of the wider Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), a major reform package designed to make the UK’s business environment more transparent, more secure and less vulnerable to misuse.
If you run or manage a company, it is important to understand what these reforms mean in practice. Below is a clear, accessible overview of the key changes and when they will take effect.
Identity verification became compulsory from 18 November 2025
One of the most significant reforms is the introduction of mandatory identity verification (IDV). From 18 November 2025, individuals who set up, own or control a company must prove their identity. This includes directors, People with Significant Control (PSCs) and members of LLP’s. IDV is expected to be a requirement for company secretaries and those who file on behalf of a company from Spring 2026.
This new requirement is designed to reduce fraud, increase transparency and make the UK’s corporate environment more secure. A detailed, step-by-step guide to the process is provided in our blog here.
Changes to company registers
Another major change took effect on 18 November 2025. Companies no longer need to maintain their own internal registers for directors, secretaries or PSCs.
Instead, companies will simply report changes directly to Companies House as they occur. This should simplify compliance by removing duplicated record-keeping.
However, the register of members (shareholders) remains compulsory. Companies must keep their own shareholder register and hold it at their registered office or at a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL). If your company previously relied on the central register for shareholder details, you will now need to create or update your own full register from November 2025.
WebFiling accounts will move to GOV.UK One Login
From 13 October 2025, anyone using Companies House WebFiling must sign in through GOV.UK One Login. This move is part of a government-wide programme to provide a single, more secure sign-in for multiple online services.
Companies should check that their filing email addresses are up to date and consistent across all Companies House services. If you haven’t created a GOV.UK One Login yet, it is advisable to set one up before you need to make a submission. It is also wise to review who is authorised to file for your companies, as shared WebFiling accounts are no longer possible due to two step authentication.
New fees from 1 February 2026
From February 2026, Companies House will make changes to a number of its statutory fees. The digital incorporation fee will rise to £100, the confirmation statement fee will increase to £50 and the voluntary strike-off fee will drop to £13.
Although some of the changes are notable, Companies House states that its fees will still remain low compared with those in many other jurisdictions. The additional income will help fund the organisation’s expanded powers, including the ability to question suspicious filings, remove false or misleading information from the register and support investigations undertaken by The Insolvency Service. Ultimately, these changes are intended to improve the accuracy of the public register and support legitimate businesses.
What this means for SMEs
Together, these measures represent some of the biggest updates to UK company law in recent years. For most businesses, the changes are manageable, but they will require preparation and support.
For further information or advice on any of the Company House changes, please get in touch with a member of our CoSec team: cosec@carpenterbox.com.