Company Directors Required to Hand Over Digital ID to Companies House

[Kerwin]

Companies House confirms identity verification rollout from 18 November 2025

We are phasing in identity verification over 12 months to make things simpler for companies and business owners.

www.gov.uk

I'm curious what you guys think about this. As with Online Safety Act I think that they need to make sure it uses bullet proof security to protect that kind of data.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

One would assume that it will be no less secure than systems used on getting a bank account open in 10 minutes!

 

[HFE Signs]

It's like a lot of things, we may not like it but we have no choice, if we have not choice or control then it isn't worth worrying over, we accept it and carry on.

 

[Kerwin]

It's like a lot of things, we may not like it but we have no choice, if we have not choice or control then it isn't worth worrying over, we accept it and carry on.

Fair point. I can see how it helps somethings and if given the choice I'd rather not have to do it but it won't cause major issues I guess.

 

[Mark T Jones]

We have to hope and assume they will have secure systems

It's definitely necessary, they are currently far too sloppy on checks

I just wish they'd make their systems more user friendly

 

[WaveJumper]

Agree with the above very little some of us can do but conform, but keep a very beady eye out for any suspicious goings on. I do worry about some of these government run portals just last weekend encounter issues with the Dart Charge site.

I also have an ongoing legal action with a certain company on going at present as one of my pension providers thought it would be a good idea to sub the work out ....... yep and then the third party got hacked and were holding all our personal details, including tax details, bank accounts etc etc we defiantly need to be ever more vigilant so my advise for whats its worth DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN

 

[Ozzy]

As someone who's been involved in this from the inside; it's basically all handled by Equifax. So as @Paul Kelly ICHYB mentioned above, that the same systems are used for opening a bank account and other similar ID verification services, it is no less secure than those.

When you reach the part in the process to conduct your ID verification a message is displayed to you that explains you will now be verified by Equifax, their systems take over, and then you are handed by the DigitalGov platform when complete.

Now protecting your PVC (Personal Verification Code) ... that's on you, guard it well as if that gets into the wrong hands then stealing your ID to appoint you to any company would be easy pickings.

 

[Newchodge]

I just wish they'd make their systems more user friendly

I'll second that, I have tried and failed to do the online verification.

 

[Mark T Jones]

I'll second that, I have tried and failed to do the online verification.

I got there in the end - it was easier with a driving license than a passport

 

[Newchodge]

I got there in the end - it was easier with a driving license than a passport

Thanks, I'll try that.

 

[DWS]

As an Accountant it is just another thing that clients are going to want advice on, I will be sending emails to explain to my clients they need to do the ID as I have no plans to do it for them but it is inevitable that I will have to do it for some as they will have no idea of what to do, no doubt I will also have to help other clients with the process.
So for some this will be another added expense.

I had to get my Daughter to complete my own for me!

 

[Kerwin]

I got there in the end - it was easier with a driving license than a passport

Unfortunately I don't drive although maybe a provisional license would work the same way?

 

[fisicx]

Don’t you need a camera to verify? They need a selfie to compare to the document (and what they have on record)?

 

[Mark T Jones]

Don’t you need a camera to verify? They need a selfie to compare to the document (and what they have on record)?

Yes - otherwise it's a trip to the Post Office

 

[fisicx]

Yes - otherwise it's a trip to the Post Office

Which means @DWS can’t do it for their clients. They need to do it themselves (maybe with a handholding zoom call).

 

[DWS]

Which means @DWS can’t do it for their clients. They need to do it themselves (maybe with a handholding zoom call).

No, Accountants can do it, but they need to register as an ‘Authorised Corporate Service Provider’ which by next year any Accountants submitting Company accounts would need to be anyway.
I am looking at setting this up now, so not exactly sure what it entails or what information we would need from clients to enable us to verify their ID, but as I said I would rather steer clear if possible, although as usual Accountants will be dragged into the new rules of HMRC and CH and just be expected to do what is required.

 

[Paul Norman]

Despite being:

1. Old
2. A bit of a carmudgeon
3. Resentful of anything involving a smartphone

I have managed to complete this task.

I am not sure what happens now. I suspect nothing. But I do feel a tiny bit smug at having completed the challenge.

 

[DWS]

Despite being:

1. Old
2. A bit of a carmudgeon
3. Resentful of anything involving a smartphone

I have managed to complete this task.

I am not sure what happens now. I suspect nothing. But I do feel a tiny bit smug at having completed the challenge.

Congratulations!
Just make sure you keep the verification code you were given for future reference and if you have an Accountant you will need to pass this on to them.

 

[Ozzy]

so not exactly sure what it entails or what information we would need from clients to enable us to verify their ID

The short version is that you will be provided with access to a new ACSP portal on Gov.uk where will be required to provide the details of the ID verification you have conducted on your clients. The level of these checks will be required to be at may or may not be above the level currently done, when registering as an ACSP this is detailed in the guidance notes.

When you enter the details for one of your clients, part of that will be a unique email address for the individual, and they will be sent their PVC (Personal Verification Code) to their email address. They will need to provide this back to you for any filings you may do on their behalf.

Their record on Companies House, alongside their name and any appointments they hold, will display your company name as the ACSP who verified their identity on behalf of Companies House.

That's the short version!

 

[Paul Norman]

Congratulations!
Just make sure you keep the verification code you were given for future reference and if you have an Accountant you will need to pass this on to them.

Good shout...thank you.

 

[DontAsk]

I got there in the end - it was easier with a driving license than a passport

I found the opposite. Struggled at first with the passport but then realised the on line help wasn't very helpful. The position of the phone on the passport when scanning the chip was crucial. After that it was a doddle.

 

[Newchodge]

I found the opposite. Struggled at first with the passport but then realised the on line help wasn't very helpful. The position of the phone on the passport when scanning the chip was crucial. After that it was a doddle.

I keep my phone in a case. Do you have to remove the case before scanning the chip?

 

[DontAsk]

I keep my phone in a case. Do you have to remove the case before scanning the chip?

I honestly don't remember whether I did but it would not hurt to do so.

 

[Paul Norman]

I keep my phone in a case. Do you have to remove the case before scanning the chip?

I managed to do mine with the phone still in the case.

When I say 'I', I do of course mean that Mrs O did this for me.

 

[nkukard]

I'm listed as a PSC for two companies, but I am not a UK resident and don't have a biometric ID. Can anyone suggest a ACSP that could assist me in getting verified? It seems as though my accountants are still in the process of signing up for the service.

 

[CHUKTC]

Can anyone help me with this - we have 2 directors for our company but only one email adress for the company registered with companies house. They say you need a separate unique email address for each director/PSC's ID with GOV.UK.ONE but in order to link to companies house (to prove your ID there you need to use the same email address for your ID as you use for comapnies house. Two directors and one email - is there some way round this or have I missed something?

 

[numbersrule]

Can anyone help me with this - we have 2 directors for our company but only one email adress for the company registered with companies house. They say you need a separate unique email address for each director/PSC's ID with GOV.UK.ONE but in order to link to companies house (to prove your ID there you need to use the same email address for your ID as you use for comapnies house. Two directors and one email - is there some way round this or have I missed something?

The way I understand this is CH & HMRC expect individuals to have seperate identities to Companies. This is because individuals do have seperate identities to Companies.
In our current Digital World it is a significant Red Flag to have two individuals using the same email address.
My suggestion would be to correct that at the earliest opportunity to ensure that each individual can be identified as unique entities.

 

[numbersrule]

Despite being:

1. Old
2. A bit of a carmudgeon
3. Resentful of anything involving a smartphone

I have managed to complete this task.

I am not sure what happens now. I suspect nothing. But I do feel a tiny bit smug at having completed the challenge.

I read somewhere that so far 300,000 people are verified. They are expecting 7 million to verify.
That puts you in a select band of the first 5%.

 

[CHUKTC]

The way I understand this is CH & HMRC expect individuals to have seperate identities to Companies. This is because individuals do have seperate identities to Companies.
In our current Digital World it is a significant Red Flag to have two individuals using the same email address.
My suggestion would be to correct that at the earliest opportunity to ensure that each individual can be identified as unique entities.

Thanks for your reply - This is exatly my problem. As you say they seem to want everyone to have a different email - that's fine but as I see it there is only an opportunity to put one email address in for each company - how does that work if you have 2 or more directors - there is no opportunity to add more email addresses (and hence more identities) for the company!

 

[clyde123]

Sorry to resurrect an old-ish thread.
I'm having difficulty with this. Have tried twice and get the "Based on what you told us, you cannot prove your identity with GOV.UK One Login" message.

I've got an email address verified, so far so good.
Downloaded and opened the GOV.UK One Login app on a mobile phone. Got a new one recently with all this in mind.
Cutting short - the app took a photo of my driving licence. Then I entered details from my passport.
It told me it was checking with Experian - not Equifax as was mentioned above. "Based on what you told us you cannot prove your identity".
Was only one question - what year did you move into your current address. I have subsequently logged into my Experian, and yes it shows the date exactly as I had entered. (A long time ago).

Some days later I tried again, with a whole new email address just in case I'd mucked up previously.
Got exactly the same rejection.

So their website says the post office can do this. I went into a big main post office, the "Digital" counter. Got a photocopy of my passport and driving licence, and he rubber stamped the copies, gave them back to me and said I'd need to post them into Companies House myself. Verification???

Have phoned the helpline several times. Note that you get a Reference Number when the process failed. Helpline didn't want that. Helpline was no help. Said because to protect me from Identity Theft. Mentioned could use an ACSP to do all this for me. And no there is no public list of ACSPs.

Got on to the Law Society and got a list of solicitors matching my search criteria. Eventually got a reply back from one who said yes they can do this.
So I do have that option to fall onto. At lawyer's prices

Anyway, apologies for the big screed. I don't see any stories anywhere else except this thread for other people having problems, so have to assume I did summat wrong somewhere.

If anyone has any words of wisdom, I'd appreciate that.

 

[clyde123]

Thanks for your reply - This is exatly my problem. As you say they seem to want everyone to have a different email - that's fine but as I see it there is only an opportunity to put one email address in for each company - how does that work if you have 2 or more directors - there is no opportunity to add more email addresses (and hence more identities) for the company!

I found a thread online a couple of weeks ago where the Gov.uk people were answering questions on this. Sorry can't find it at the moment.
But the short answer is that you need to look at companies and directors as completely separate, as different entities. So you'll have an email address for the company, and separate email addresses for each of the directors.
For a one-person business this sounds bureaucratic overkill. But it does make sense if you think about it. A person can be a director of several companies.

 

[DontAsk]

Thanks for your reply - This is exatly my problem. As you say they seem to want everyone to have a different email - that's fine but as I see it there is only an opportunity to put one email address in for each company - how does that work if you have 2 or more directors - there is no opportunity to add more email addresses (and hence more identities) for the company!

Does your company e-mail provider not allow for more than one mailbox?

 

[CHUKTC]

I found a thread online a couple of weeks ago where the Gov.uk people were answering questions on this. Sorry can't find it at the moment.
But the short answer is that you need to look at companies and directors as completely separate, as different entities. So you'll have an email address for the company, and separate email addresses for each of the directors.
For a one-person business this sounds bureaucratic overkill. But it does make sense if you think about it. A person can be a director of several companies.

Thanks thats very helpful. Just tried to do the iID on Gov one. Got the wheel of death:
Once you’ve submitted your information in the app, it can take a few minutes to finish checking your details.
Do not close or refresh this page.
Been like if for 15 mins now! Not very promising.

 

[MikeJ]

Does your company e-mail provider not allow for more than one mailbox?

Just in case people aren't aware, if you use a Gmail account then it ignores full stops. So joebloggs at Gmail is the same as joe.bloggs at Gmail.

 

[CHUKTC]

Just called the one help desk - answered quickly and they were very helpful - problem sorted - recommend it to anyone having difficulties 0300 373 9020 (option 3)