Companies House: Transforming the UK companies register

Companies House is the UK government agency responsible for incorporating and dissolving limited companies, maintaining accurate records, and making company information available to the public. With over five million companies registered in the UK and more than 500,000 new incorporations each year, it sits at the heart of the UK economy. Operating under the Executive Agency of the Department for Business and Trade, Companies House serves businesses, regulators, and the public across offices in Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast. 

Companies House selected Version 1 in 2023 to deliver the identity verification programme, enforcement case management system, and large-scale service modernisation that together represents the most significant technological transformation in the organisation’s history.

Watch the video to hear how we delivered it;

Identity verification represents the biggest operational and technological change in Companies House’s 100-year history. Version 1 designed and delivered the systems that made it possible, working within strict legislative deadlines on a live national register serving over five million companies. 

Putting a verified identity behind every company 

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Act required Companies House to verify the identity of every director, person with significant control, and authorised filer on the UK register. The challenge was scale: millions of legacy records carried no verified identity, and every new service had to be delivered without disrupting essential public services. 

Version 1 embedded identity verification into existing systems rather than rebuilding from the ground up, reducing delivery risk and protecting service continuity. A new Identity Verification service, aligned with the Government’s One Login platform, now supports multiple user roles and provides secure pathways for verification, exception handling, and internal case management. 

A key part of this work was enabling Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs), including accountants and law firms, to register with Companies House and verify their clients’ identities on their behalf. This capability directly supports the ECCT Act’s goals of improved accuracy, transparency, and reduced economic crime across the UK. 

During the voluntary verification period between March and November 2025, over one million people chose to verify their identity ahead of the deadline. This level of early engagement reflects the accessibility of the service and the public confidence built through the delivery approach. 

Supporting enforcement through case management 

Alongside identity verification, Version 1 designed and delivered an Enforcements Case Management System built on Microsoft Dynamics, a platform new to Companies House. The system supports the investigation and enforcement processes introduced under the ECCT Act, giving operational teams the tools to act on their expanded statutory powers. 

Version 1 embedded knowledge transfer throughout delivery, ensuring Companies House internal teams were equipped to own and operate the system from day one. 

Companies House extended the partnership, with Version 1 now supporting the next chapter of the organisation’s strategic plan.