Corporate Governance & Regulation

Company filing penalties you should avoid

Most company directors are aware that they must file annual accounts and a confirmation statement with Companies House. However, missing these deadlines can lead to unnecessary costs and, in some cases, much more serious consequences.

The most common financial penalties apply to the late filing of

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Companies House publishes its business plan

Companies House has published its business plan for 2026-27, setting out its priorities for the coming year as it continues to implement major reforms aimed at improving the quality of information held on the UK companies register and tackling economic crime.

A key objective is to improve the

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Verify your ID at Companies House

Identity verification requirements at Companies House became a legal requirement for directors and people with significant control (PSCs) from 18 November 2025. This date marked the start of a 12-month transition period for identity verification.

Companies House is introducing the new requirements

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Companies House blunder

A Companies House blunder has raised concerns after a flaw in the WebFiling service briefly exposed sensitive company data. The issue, identified on 13 March 2026, meant that a logged-in user could potentially access and amend limited details of another company by carrying out a specific sequence of

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Meaning of “bona vacantia”

Bona vacantia is Latin term meaning “ownerless goods”. The bodies that deal with bona vacantia claims vary across the United Kingdom, but they all ultimately represent the Crown.

Under company law, when a company is dissolved, any remaining rights or property automatically pass to the

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What Is a person with significant control?

A person with significant control (PSC) is someone who owns or exercises significant influence over a company. They can also be referred to as a “beneficial owner”.

Every UK company is required to identify its PSCs and register their details with Companies House. A company can have one

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Company information in the public domain

Did you know you can monitor any UK company for free and get email alerts when key details change, which can help protect your own business from unexpected or unauthorised filings?

A significant amount of information about companies is available in the public domain from Companies House. Companies

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Company Voluntary Arrangements

A Company Voluntary Arrangement (also known as a CVA) is a special arrangement that allows a company with debt problems or that is insolvent to reach a voluntary agreement to pay its business creditors over a fixed period of time.

The arrangement is similar to the Individual Voluntary Arrangement

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