Get Ready for Changes to UK Company Law

The UK Government is aiming to introduce the first set of measures under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act which became law in October 2023.

Although there needs to be secondary legislation and the date is subject to change depending on parliamentary timetables, the date currently set for these changes is 04 March 2024.

We’ve summarised 3 of the changes to help you to prepare:

New rules for registered office addresses

There will be new rules for registered office addresses which mean companies must always have an ‘appropriate address’ as their registered office. An appropriate address is one where:

• any documents sent to the registered office should be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the Company,
• any documents sent to that address can be recorded by an acknowledgement of delivery.

These changes mean you will not be able to use a PO Box as your registered office address from 4 March 2024. If you’re currently using a PO Box as your registered office address, you’ll need to change it by this date.

Registered email address

There will be a new requirement for all companies to give a registered email address to Companies House. This email address will not be published on the public register.

New companies will need to give a registered email address when they incorporate. Existing companies will need to give a registered email address when they file their next confirmation statement with a statement date from 5 March 2024. Companies House online services will prompt you to supply a registered email address when you file your next eligible confirmation statement.

Companies House will use this email address to communicate with you about your company, so it’s important that you choose an appropriate email address. You can register the same email address for more than one company.

You’ll be able to change your registered email address through the new ‘update a registered email address’ service. You’ll need to be signed in and authenticated to do this.

Companies will have a duty to maintain an appropriate registered email address, in the same way as their registered office address. Any company that does not do this will be committing an offence.

Statement of lawful purposes

When you incorporate a company from 4 March 2024, the subscribers (shareholders) will need to confirm they’re forming the company for a lawful purpose.

You’ll also need to confirm the company’s intended future activities are lawful on the confirmation statement.

The intention of these new statements is to make it clear that all companies on the register, new and existing, have a duty to operate in a lawful way. HM Government and Companies House may take action against your company if they receive information that confirms you’re not operating lawfully.

Companies House will not accept your documents if these statements have not been confirmed.

Existing companies will need to make a lawful purpose statement when they file their next confirmation statement with a statement date from 5 March 2024. Online services will prompt you to do this when you file your next eligible confirmation statement.

We, at Accountability-Plus, provide a confidential registered office service for a number of our clients. We are able to provide a suitable postal and email address, as well as being on hand to give telephone support should it be needed.

Do give us a call on 01440 821994 if we can assist you, and your company, to remain compliant under this Act.