Public Register
The UK’s public central register of company beneficial ownership information for all companies incorporated in the UK will be launched in June 2016.
Country: UK
Status: complete
Themes: Beneficial ownership
Last updated: December 2020
Classification:
Concrete: Concrete | New: Not New | Ambitious: Other
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9 Evidence:
Companies House Consultation results
Companies House shake up will help tackle criminal use of UK firms, but only if properly resourced
Written Ministerial Statement
Government's Press Release
IDENTITIES REVEALED IN FIRST UWO CASE
TI-UK WELCOMES LANDMARK LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ASSETS LINKED TO KAZAKH POLITICAL ELITE
UK Companies House Persons of Significant Control Register
Corporate transparency and register reform
WHAT LEAKED DOCUMENTS TELL US ABOUT THE UK’S FIGHT AGAINST DIRTY MONEY
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5 Notes:
The UK’s public register of beneficial ownership information was published at the end of June 2016.
In 2018 the UK launched a global campaign to make public registers of beneficial ownership a global norm, and in 2019 it launched a public consultation on reforms to Companies House to ensure the data held in the UK’s register is verified and accurate. On 18 September 2020, the Government published the results of this consultation. The proposals in the Government’s response to the consultation on corporate transparency and register reform include:
• Introducing identity verification checks for all directors, People with Significant Control and those filing information on behalf of a company.
• Companies House will require evidence of checks carried out by regulated professional service providers submitting information on behalf of clients
• Giving Companies House the powers to query, investigate and remove false information.
These measures must now be considered by MPs and peers before they become law. In addition to these new powers, Companies House will need resources to carry out its new remit as well as regulators and the police to actively pursue rogue lawyers, accountants and formation agents incorporating companies for criminals.
Updated: October 31, 2020
The UK has established a public register containing company beneficial ownership information. TI-UK continues to advocate for verification of this data, as currently Companies House has no statutory powers to carry out money laundering checks, and is unable to verify the accuracy of information submitted to them.
Peer reviewer: 1
Updated: April 30, 2020
In May 2019 the UK Government launched a public consultation on reforms to Companies House to enhance the role of Companies House, increase the transparency of UK corporate entities and help combat economic crime.
Updated: October 30, 2019
The UK’s public register of beneficial ownership information was published at the end of June 2016, and was the first of its kind in the world.
Updated: July 30, 2017