Find & Update Company Info on Companies House Search GOV.UK

Companies incorporated in the United Kingdom are obligated to file statutory requirements through Companies House. Companies' information is displayed publicly for everybody to access on Companies House register such as the director’s information and the status of the company.

Every year, companies are legally required to update their information on Companies House register. This includes directors, shareholders, and registered office addresses to maintain transparency and good corporate governance.

How can companies find and update their company information on Companies House search GOV.UK? This guide will help companies understand how they can find and update their information and requirements needed to update on Companies House.

What is Companies House?

Companies House is a government agency that is responsible for registering and dissolving limited companies in the UK. They also maintain an official register of companies in the UK.

Additionally, they tackle economic crime and support economic growth after new powers were handed to them under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act.

Partnerships or limited companies that meet the requirements must submit paperwork such as their annual accounts, financial statements, and essential contact information. These records are kept and made available as public records, enabling individuals to access and obtain fundamental Companies House data.

What is the Companies House Search service?

Companies House Search service allows you to access detailed information about companies registered in the UK. You can find details such as company information, images of filed documents, mortgages or charges registered against a company, historical data, email alerts, and insolvency details.

The service acts as an essential tool for anyone who needs to verify a company’s details or conduct due diligence. The service is free and accessible 24/7.

How to conduct Companies House Search?

Open your web browser and navigate to the Companies House website.

On the homepage, you’ll find a search bar where you can enter the company name you wish to get the details. You can search it with the company name, Company Registration Number (CRN), director name, partial name that you recognize or even the registered address can help you find the company's details. See image Below.

If the company name is common, you can add more specific details to narrow down the search results.

The search will return a list of companies that match your criteria. Click on the company name to view detailed information.

Once you select a company, you can view various details such as: registered address, date of incorporation, company type and status, annual and financial status, and SIC codes as shown in the image below.

·         Registered address

      Every limited company must have a registered office address to register the business with Companies House.  The address must be in the UK but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to operate there. The address will appear on public documents.

·         Date of incorporation

     This is the date when your company was officially incorporated. This will determine your company’s financial year. Date of incorporation will be included in the articles of incorporation. 

·         Current and resigned officers

      When incorporating a company in the UK, details of officers such as the director, secretary, and people with significant control (PSC) must be included. Their name and addresses will be uploaded to the public for transparency. When an officer resigns, the details will be updated through a confirmation statement. 

·         Document images (like annual returns and financial statements)

      Annual accounts and financial statements help to tell the financial health of a company. People can access information about the company’s profitability, liquidity, and evaluate creditworthiness.

·         SIC codes

      SIC codes explain the nature of business activities. A company can choose a maximum of four SIC codes but they come with limitations. 

.     Filing deadlines      

      Each company is obligated to lodge particular documents with Companies House, and each document is assigned a specific deadline that is made public on the register. Companies House imposes different deadlines for different filings, so it is advisable to stay informed about each deadline. Your filing deadlines can be found on your company profile. 

·         Present and previous company names

      Every company must have a name that adheres to Companies House regulations before you incorporate your business. The name will appear on Companies House records. In case you change your company name, the details will be updated, however, the previous name will not be deleted.

·         Insolvency information

      Insolvency records and legal proceedings of a company will be included in Companies House records. This data may affect a company’s reputation when evaluating risks or due diligence.

In Filling History you can check the companies filing history. Each company is obligated to lodge particular documents with Companies House, and each document is assigned a specific deadline that is made public on the register. Companies House imposes different deadlines for different filings, so it is advisable to stay informed about each deadline. Your filing deadlines can be found on your company profile. 

And in the People Tab you can check who is the director of the company, directors nationality, and a bit of personal information.  See the name and address of the officers who resigned. As shown in the picture.

In the more tab, you can have more information about the company as shown in the picture.

You can use Advanced company search to find out more details about the company. Click on the “Advanced company search” as shown in the picture.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/advanced-search

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After clicking on the link you will be redirected to the companies house “Advanced company search” where you are able to find company details with any detail you have. This search will give you all the matching companies list at once.

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If you want to stay updated on changes to a company’s details, you can set up free email alerts.

You can download certain documents for free, while others might require a small fee.

What types of companies can you find on Companies House?

·         Public Limited Companies (PLC) are entities that can offer shares to the general public and are frequently listed on stock exchanges.

·         Private Limited Companies (Ltd) represent the most prevalent form of company in the United Kingdom, as they are restricted from selling shares to the public.

·         Private Unlimited Companies do not impose any limitations on the liability of their members.

·         Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP) are a type of partnership in which the partners enjoy limited liability.

·         Limited Partnerships (LP) consist of both general and limited partners, with the latter having restricted liability.

Conducting Companies House search is necessary to help suppliers, vendors, and business partners to make informed decisions. With Companies House search service, you can know if the company is legal compliant, trading, and assess its financial health.

The search will help with due diligence and mitigating risks if you want to foster collaborations or invest money.

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