Companies House is the UK’s registrar of companies, making it the official ‘one-stop-shop’ for managing company information.
Want to turn your business into a separate legal entity? Companies House is the body that creates your new company and adds it to the register. It’s where you submit your annual confirmation statement and information relating to changes to your business. Crucially, Companies House also makes key information accessible to the public, so potential customers can see that your business is genuine.
Here’s a closer look at Companies House and why it’s important – along with answers to some common Companies House-related questions.
What Is Companies House?
Companies House is the name for the UK’s company registrar, responsible for incorporating and dissolving companies, and for maintaining an up-to-date register of company information. It operates as an executive agency of the Government’s Department for Business and Trade.
Do I need to register with Companies House?
Every type of public and private company in the UK is required to be registered with Companies House. This includes the following:
- Private limited companies (the most common type of company)
- Public limited companies (PLCs)
- Limited liability partnerships (LLPs)
- Foreign companies with a UK branch, and those which carry out significant business activities in the UK
Each year, Companies House handles more than 500,000 new company incorporations. Tip: to see why so many business owners decide to ‘go limited’, check out our guide, How to Change from Sole Trader to Limited Company.
What Does Companies House Do?
The main functions of Companies House are as follows:
Incorporation
Companies House administers registration applications, checking that the details are complete and correct and that applicants are who they say they are, before creating new companies and adding them to the register. For a summary of the information you need before applying to register a company, read our Company Formation Checklist.
Once Companies House has approved your application and added your new company to the register, it issues you with a Certificate of Incorporation, confirming your official company number and date of incorporation.
Record Keeping
Companies House is where you file key information relating to your business: i.e. your annual accounts and confirmation statements, changes to company details (e.g. change of registered address or appointment of a new director), company resolutions, and changes to the articles of association. This information is made accessible to the public via the free Companies House online search service.
Dissolution
Directors can apply for voluntary dissolution if they decide that their company is no longer needed. In cases of non-compliance, e.g. where a company fails to submit its annual filings, or where a company appears to be dormant (no longer trading), Companies House will start the process of dissolution; i.e. issuing notices, before striking it from the register.
Why is Companies House Important?
Companies House performs three important roles at once: a supporter of businesses, an enforcer of the rules relating to setting up and maintaining companies, and a source of reliable information.
Supporting businesses
No mountains of paperwork. No long delays. No eye-watering costs. Instead, Companies House aims to deliver a clear and fair framework for getting companies set up and keeping them running. It (mostly!) succeeds with this.
Thanks to this, setting up a company becomes a viable option for pretty much anyone. Once your company is set up under your unique name of choice, it becomes a legal entity with its own status and rights: no one else can claim the company name as theirs.
Enforcing the rules
Companies House monitors whether companies are sticking to the rules. Failure to comply with your filing obligations – notably, timely submission of annual accounts and confirmation statements – can lead to Companies House imposing penalties, fines, and even striking off companies in default.
This isn’t about trying to catch companies out just for the sake of it. These obligations are designed to encourage good corporate governance practices, weed out sham businesses, and prevent fraud.
Providing information
Is this business legit? Who’s behind it? Does it seem like a safe pair of hands?
Through the Companies House search page, anyone can search for and instantly view essential company details, including registered office address, company status, details of directors and persons of significant control, and companies’ filing history.
Once your business is incorporated, it becomes possible for customers, investors, and suppliers to verify your details via the companies register. Incorporation is therefore a highly useful trust indicator.
How Much Does it Cost to Register a Company with Companies House?
As of 1 May 2024, the Companies House fee for incorporation is £50 if you do it online, or £71 if you submit it by post. A full summary of the latest fees is available here.
With formation packages starting at just £54.99 inclusive of the Companies House fee, Mint Formations ensures that dealing with Companies House is as straightforward as possible. To select the right level of assistance for getting your new company off to the right start, explore our registration packages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Companies House do?
Companies House is the UK’s registrar of companies, responsible for incorporating and dissolving companies, receiving, checking, and publishing company information, and ensuring that companies comply with their governance obligations, including the filing of annual accounts and confirmation statements.
Is Companies House part of HMRC?
No, the Companies House and HMRC are separate government bodies. You deal with Companies House for setting up your company, annual filing obligations, and notifications relating to important changes to your business. You deal with HMRC in relation to business tax, i.e. corporation tax, and VAT (if relevant).
Once you have registered your company, and assuming that you intend to start trading straight away, you must register with HMRC for corporation tax within three months. For more information about this, see our Guide to Corporation Tax.
What does it mean to be registered with Companies House?
Being registered with Companies House means your business has been structured as a distinct legal entity – i.e. a company. After registration, Companies House issues you with a certificate of incorporation, proving the legal status of your business. Information relating to the company is also added to the register of companies.
Do all companies have to be in the Companies House?
All categories of private and public companies need to be registered with Companies House. This includes private limited companies (Ltd), public limited companies (PLCs), and limited liability partnerships (LLPs).
Can anyone view Companies House?
Yes. Details of companies – including name, company number, registered office address, directors, and persons of significant control – are publicly accessible via the Companies House search page.
Can you be a director without being on Companies House?
Details of each director must be included in your application to register a company, and these details are visible on the register after incorporation. This includes the director’s full name, date of birth and service address where official correspondence can be sent. Worried about privacy? By using a directors service address provider, you can keep your residential address off the public register.
Are self-employed on Companies House?
No. If you operate your business as a sole trader – either on your own or as part of a partnership – there is no legal distinction between you and your business. Your business does not exist as a separate legal entity and is not eligible to be listed on the Companies House Register.
Do you need to register information with Companies House? From starting a business to dissolving an old one, Mint Formations can help!
