ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.

Corporate reform: Companies House timeline

Author: Professional Standards Department

Published: 01 Oct 0124

Companies House has published its intended implementation timeline for the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

The timeline shows how more measures will be introduced under the act over the next few years – including ID verification and registering to be an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.

Companies House will give you plenty of notice before you need to take action. Timelines are dependent on secondary legislation and will be kept under review.

There will be key moments on the implementation timeline that are important to you. So, it’s important that you start to prepare by keeping your registered email address up to date and making sure your emails are monitored.

The timeline includes changes planned through until 2026 but we have included the most imminent changes below:

By autumn 2024

Companies House should be able to:

  • Issue financial penalties for any relevant offences under the new Act and the Companies Act

By winter 2024 into 2025

Companies House should be able to:

  • expedite the striking off of companies where the registrar has concluded the company has been formed for a false basis
  • annotate the register in a wider range of circumstances, such as when a company has a director who has been disqualified but has yet to terminate their appointment on the register, or where
  • Companies House has issued a statutory notice to require more information from a person, but the matter remains unresolved

You can also keep up to date by visiting the Changes to UK company law website. This is regularly updated with new information.