ANNA is now an official identity checker for Companies House

Why identity verification is now part of starting a company

From 18 November 2025, identity checks will become a legal must for anyone who wants to set up, run, own or control a UK company. It's part of a wider government effort to boost transparency, stop dodgy dealings, and keep the official register squeaky clean.

The new rules are part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act – and in short, they mean you’ll need to prove you are who you say you are by completing a one-time identity check.

How ANNA makes it easy

If you’re using ANNA to register your company, good news – we include identity verification in the process.
There’s no need to mess around with a separate GOV.UK service. We’ll collect your ID, run the official checks, and submit everything straight to Companies House for you. It’s all bundled in with your company formation.

By the time your business is up and running, your directors and Persons of Significant Control (PSCs) will already be verified and fully compliant.

Meet your Companies House personal code

Once verified, you’ll receive a unique 11-character personal code from Companies House. This links you to your company roles and acts as proof that you’ve passed the check.
It’s not tied to one business – it’s yours for life. Think of it as your official stamp of approval from Companies House.

Already running a company? Don’t wait

Although identity checks don’t become mandatory until 18 November 2025, the process has already started rolling out.
If you’re already a company director or PSC, it’s worth getting ahead of the game and verifying early. ANNA can help with that too – just reach out and we’ll guide you through it.

Why it matters

This isn’t just red tape for the sake of it. Identity verification is designed to:

• Stop fraud and fake company registrations
• Make company records more accurate and trustworthy
• Protect the integrity of the UK’s business register

Being recognised as an ACSP is a big step for ANNA – and a reflection of the trusted, regulated service we have already provided to over 16,000 UK businesses.