Companies House is the UK's registrar of companies, maintaining the public register of UK companies. It holds a wealth of data about more than 5 million companies, making it an essential resource for business intelligence, due diligence, and research.
What is Companies House?
Companies House is an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade. It's responsible for:
- Incorporating and dissolving companies
- Examining and storing company information
- Making company information available to the public
All limited companies, LLPs, and other registered entities in the UK must file certain information with Companies House, creating a comprehensive public record of UK business activity.
Types of Data Available
Company Information
- Company name and number - Unique identifier for each company
- Registered office address - Official address for legal correspondence
- Company status - Active, dissolved, in liquidation, etc.
- Date of incorporation - When the company was formed
- Company type - Private limited, PLC, LLP, etc.
- SIC codes - Standard Industrial Classification codes describing business activities
Director Information
- Director names - Current and former directors
- Date of birth - Month and year (day redacted for privacy)
- Nationality
- Appointment and resignation dates
- Occupation
- Other directorships - Full history of director's other companies
Persons with Significant Control (PSC)
- Names of PSCs - Individuals or entities with significant control
- Nature of control - Shareholding, voting rights, appointment rights
- Date of notification
- Country of residence
Financial Information
- Annual accounts - Balance sheets, P&L statements (where filed)
- Accounting reference date - Financial year end
- Account type - Full, abbreviated, micro-entity, dormant
- Filing history - When accounts were due and when filed
Filing History
- All historic filings - Documents submitted to Companies House
- Confirmation statements - Annual confirmations of company details
- Charges - Security interests registered against the company
- Resolutions and articles - Constitutional documents
Accessing Companies House Data
Companies House Website
The most basic way to access data is through the Companies House website. You can search for companies by name or number and view basic information for free.
Companies House API
For developers, Companies House provides a REST API that allows programmatic access to company data. However, it has limitations:
- Rate limits on API calls
- Raw data requires processing
- Limited search functionality
- No AI or analytical features
Company Intelligence Platforms
Platforms like CorporaOne enhance Companies House data with:
- Faster, more powerful search
- AI-powered analysis and summaries
- Historical data and trends
- Enrichment with additional data sources
- Monitoring and alerts
CorporaOne transforms raw Companies House data into actionable intelligence, saving hours of manual research and analysis.
Understanding Account Types
Different companies file different types of accounts:
Full Accounts
The most detailed filing, including:
- Full profit and loss account
- Detailed balance sheet
- Cash flow statement
- Notes to the accounts
- Director's report
Small Company Accounts
Companies qualifying as 'small' can file abbreviated accounts with less detail.
Micro-Entity Accounts
The smallest companies can file very basic accounts with minimal disclosure.
Dormant Accounts
Companies with no significant transactions file simple dormant accounts.
Key Use Cases
Due Diligence
Before entering business relationships, verify:
- Company is registered and active
- Directors and ownership
- Financial health
- Filing compliance history
Sales and Marketing
Build targeted prospect lists based on:
- Industry (SIC codes)
- Company size and revenue
- Location
- Growth indicators
Credit Assessment
Evaluate creditworthiness using:
- Financial statements
- Payment history indicators
- Director track record
- Company age and stability
Competitive Intelligence
Monitor competitors through:
- Financial performance tracking
- Director movements
- Structural changes
- Filing patterns
Data Quality Considerations
While Companies House data is official, there are limitations:
- Self-reported - Companies submit their own information
- Point-in-time - Data reflects filing dates, not current reality
- Variable detail - Small companies disclose less
- Delays - Processing times can create lag
- Errors - Occasional filing errors occur
This is why platforms like CorporaOne add value by cleaning, validating, and enriching raw Companies House data.
Filing Deadlines and Compliance
Companies must meet specific filing deadlines:
- Annual accounts - 9 months after financial year end (private companies)
- Confirmation statement - Within 14 days of review period anniversary
- Director changes - Within 14 days of change
- PSC changes - Within 14 days of change
Late filing can result in penalties and is often a red flag for company health.
Getting More from Companies House Data
To maximise the value of Companies House data:
- Use enhanced platforms - Get AI analysis and enrichment
- Set up monitoring - Be alerted to changes automatically
- Combine with other data - Enrich with web and social signals
- Automate via API - Integrate into your workflows
- Track trends - Look at historical patterns, not just snapshots
Ready to unlock the full potential of UK company data? Start your free CorporaOne account today.