New powers for Companies House in tackling economic crime

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, which received royal assent on October 26, 2023, gives Companies House the power to play a more substantial role in tackling economic crime.

It is anticipated that the initial set of changes introduced by this transformative legislation will happen on or shortly after March 4. The changes are currently waiting for parliament to approve the secondary legislation.

Key amendments include new rules for registered office addresses, additional powers to be able to query information and request supporting evidence and make stronger checks on company names, as well as the ability to share data with other governmental departments and law enforcement agencies.

The Act also includes measures such as identity verification, but these will be introduced as a part of later changes.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-changes-to-uk-company-law-expected-on-4-march