Companies House begins using its first ECCTA powers on 4 March 2024
The first measures under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 came into force on 4 March 2024. Companies House can now query filings and ask for evidence, and it checks company names more strictly. Every company needs an appropriate registered office and a registered email address, and must confirm it has a lawful purpose.
On 4 March 2024 the first measures under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) came into force. Companies House had confirmed the target date on 22 January 2024. It called the new powers the most significant change in its 180-year history.
What changed
- Companies House can query information it receives and ask for supporting evidence.
- Company names are checked more strictly.
- Every company must have an appropriate registered office address at all times. A PO Box can no longer be used.
- Every company must give Companies House a registered email address. It is not shown on the public register.
- Subscribers must confirm on incorporation that the company is being formed for a lawful purpose. Companies confirm on each confirmation statement that their intended future activities are lawful.
- Companies House can remove factually inaccurate information and share data with other government departments and law enforcement.
- New criminal offences and civil penalties support these measures.
Who is affected
All UK companies, and the agents who incorporate companies and file confirmation statements for them.
What to do
- Make sure each company's registered office is an appropriate address. Where Companies House finds one that is not, it moves the company to a default address and the company has 28 days to supply an appropriate one with evidence, or faces strike-off.
- New companies give a registered email address on incorporation. Existing companies give one, and make the lawful purpose statement, on their first confirmation statement with a statement date from 5 March 2024. Failing to keep an appropriate registered email address is an offence.
- Expect queries and evidence requests on filings, and keep records that support what is filed.
Later developments
This entry records the first phase. Later ECCTA measures, including identity verification for directors, people with significant control and filers, and the Authorised Corporate Service Provider regime, followed in stages and are covered separately.