Business March 18, 2025

An overview of changes to Companies House identity verification standard (and what it means for ACSPs)

profile picture Matt Prendergast 3 min read
Companies house identity verification

As an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), you’ll be aware of the upcoming changes to the Companies House identity verification standard.

In 2025, anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a company in the UK, namely directors and persons with significant control (PSCs), will be required to verify their identity to prove who they are.

These changes come as part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and aim to prevent anyone seeking to use Companies House for fraudulent activities. Failing to comply with mandatory identity verification requirements could result in fines and restrictions on company activities.

From 18th March 2025, directors and PSCs can voluntarily verify their identity directly with Companies House via GOV.UK One Login free of charge. Alternatively, they can choose to verify their identity via an ACSP like yourself.

You will need to register to conduct identity verification on behalf of clients, and from 8th April, you can inform Companies House you have verified someone’s identity. You must already be registered with an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory body.

Key dates:

  • 18th March 2025: Voluntary identity verification – directors and PSCs involved in UK companies can voluntarily verify their identity.
  • 8th April 2025: ACSPs can inform Companies House they have verified someone’s identity.
  • By Autumn 2025: Mandatory identity verification – for directors and PSCs involved in UK companies, it will be mandatory to verify identity when they are appointed. For existing directors and PSCs, there will be a 12 month period for them to complete identity verification.

 

How to verify someone’s identity for Companies House

When you verify someone’s identity for Companies House, you must meet the identity verification standard to comply with your legal responsibilities as an ACSP. You will be required to ask for information about the person and to get evidence to verify their identity in the form of documentation. One option to achieve this is to use identification document validation technology (IDVT) such as that provided by Yoti.

Our fast and secure identity verification service, with built-in anti-spoofing technology, allows your clients to remotely prove who they are with just an ID document and a selfie. You can opt to use our automated process which will take clients just 5 seconds to complete, or layer in our 24/7 verification experts for cases that require higher assurance.

Get in touch to find out more about our IDVT and how you can meet the Companies House identity verification standard.

Keep reading

An image of a teenager holding and using his mobile phone.
Articles December 10, 2025

Yoti helps platforms navigate Australia’s new social media age restrictions

Australia’s new age restriction laws for social media come into effect today, signalling a major shift in how online services must support age-appropriate access for younger users. As platforms prepare for increased regulatory scrutiny and tight compliance timelines, Yoti is enabling our social media partners to deploy trusted, privacy-preserving age assurance at scale. These reforms, led by the eSafety Commissioner, require major social media platforms to take ‘reasonable steps’ to stop under 16s from creating an account or using their services. There are no exceptions to this age limit, not even those with parental consent. The rules apply to

#age assurance#business
Amba Karsondas Amba Karsondas
3 min read
Zero trust authentication methods
Articles November 13, 2025

How strong authentication powers Zero Trust and protects against cyber threats

Until recently, organisational cybersecurity typically relied on a fortress mentality, by building a strong perimeter with firewalls and VPNs, and trusting everything inside. But in today’s digital world of cloud apps, remote work and hiring, supply chain integrations, virtual connections and sophisticated attacks, that approach is no longer enough. Once criminals breach the walls, they can often move freely and undetected. If a business can’t reliably confirm who’s accessing its systems, it leaves the door open for cyber criminals. When authentication is weak, malicious actors can: Steal employee or customer login credentials through phishing and use them to access

#authentication#business
Sofi Summers Sofi Summers
6 min read
A screen showing a Shopify site selling knives. An additional screen shows the different ways that customers can prove their age.
Articles November 7, 2025

Yoti age checks now available for Shopify stores

If you sell age-restricted products on Shopify, we’ve got good news. It’s now easier than ever to add secure, seamless age checks to your online store. Yoti has now officially integrated with Shopify – one of the biggest ecommerce platforms in the world. That means Shopify merchants can now offer fast, privacy-preserving age checks for their customers. If you’re selling alcohol, vapes, knives or other age-restricted items, this integration helps you meet legal requirements without adding unnecessary friction to your customers’ journey.   Why does this matter for Shopify merchants? Shopify powers millions of online businesses, including both independent

#age assurance#business
Amba Karsondas Amba Karsondas
5 min read