# Companies House

| **Companies House** | **Quick Overview**                                                                                                                                                                     |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| URL                 | <https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/>                                                                                                                          |
| What it does        | Provides public access to the UK corporate register, including details about incorporated companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and overseas entities operating in the UK. |
| How to use it       | Search by company name, registration number, or officer name to find company info including filing history, accounts, registered address & director appointments.                      |
| Cost                | Free.                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Account required    | No (unless want to receive updates and alerts).                                                                                                                                        |
| Cookies             | Yes                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| Ownership           | Owned and operated by the UK Government and functions as an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade.                                                                 |
| Use in Reporting    | Commonly used in investigative journalism, financial investigations, and OSINT research to verify company details, identify directors, and track business ownership structures.        |

### **What does Companies House do?**&#x20;

Companies House is responsible for incorporating and dissolving limited companies, maintaining the official register of companies, and making company information available to the public.

It collects information from companies as required by law (around 5 million UK companies), including details about directors, shareholders, accounts, and company activities.&#x20;

Publicly accesible data includes:

* Company status (active, dissolved, liquidation)
* Registered office address
* Directors and officers
* Filing history and documents
* Financial accounts
* Persons with Significant Control (PSC)
* Charges and mortgages
* Insolvency information

**The lowdown:** Companies House is a quick and reliable way to identify registered UK companies, their directors, and key filings but because the information is largely self-reported by companies, results should be verified with additional sources before being treated as fully accurate/complete.

### How to Use:

1. **Go to the Companies House search page and enter a company name or company number.**

<figure><img src="https://2429831402-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F3YeRsjw1gI6xxIP4cuOd%2Fuploads%2FQ0mSz5Z5XjyrjyYfvUX2%2Funknown.png?alt=media&#x26;token=9c8e14a0-63aa-4f38-945a-52c2cd09941e" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

2. **Select the relevant company from the results list to view its company overview page.**<br>

<figure><img src="https://2429831402-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F3YeRsjw1gI6xxIP4cuOd%2Fuploads%2FJWYQLQjhwVCjG3wxYGW4%2Funknown.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f96bfd4a-adfa-49e8-8e15-6d49d02f3093" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<br>

3. **Review company information including filing history, people, accounts, registered address, and incorporation details. Note: documents can often be downloaded as PDF filings.** <br>

You can view our [full guide in the OSINT Newsletter here.](https://osintnewsletter.com/p/76)

### Cost:

* [ ] Paid
* [ ] Partially Free
* [x] Free

## Data Processing

### Account required:

* [ ] Yes
* [x] No

*Unless you want to follow companies and receive alerts.*

### Cookies:&#x20;

The site uses essential cookies for site functionality and analytics cookies for usage tracking.
&#x20;Users can manage cookie preferences through GOV.UK settings.

### &#x20;Use in Reporting

Companies House is commonly used for:

* Corporate due diligence
* Investigative journalism
* Fraud and financial crime investigations
* Mapping corporate networks
* Identifying shell companies
* Verifying business legitimacy

It’s frequently used alongside OSINT tools such as corporate registries, financial databases, and sanctions lists.

A notable example comes from reporting by [The Guardian ](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/26/jennifer-arcuri-hacker-house-hastily-new-office-boris-johnson-grant-inquiry)during the controversy involving tech entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri and former London mayor Boris Johnson. Journalists used Companies House records to examine the structure and leadership of Arcuri’s companies during an investigation into public funding and political connections.

| **Capabilities**                                                                                   | **Limitations**                                                  |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Searches UK registered companies.                                                                  | Information is self-reported by companies, so accuracy may vary. |
| Identifies company directors and officers.                                                         | Some records may be outdated or incomplete.                      |
| Accesses filing history and financial accounts (and download official filings).                    | Limited verification of submitted information historically.      |
| Accesses company ownership structures.                                                             | Shareholder information may be limited depending on filings.     |
| Tracks changes to company information.                                                             | Does not include companies that are not in.                      |
| Follows companies and receives update alerts (but must create a free account for this capability). | <p><br></p>                                                      |

### Summary

Companies House is arguably one of the most important OSINT tools for corporate intelligence in the UK. It provides free access to company records, enabling researchers, investigators, and journalists to examine company structures, financial filings, and director information.&#x20;

Despite limitations related to data accuracy, it remains a foundational source for business intelligence and investigative research.

### Ownership

Companies House is owned and operated by the UK Government and functions as an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade.

Its headquarters are in Cardiff, with additional offices in Edinburgh and Belfast.

### Ethical Considerations:

* Handle personal information responsibly to avoid misuse (e.g. director addresses).
* Ensure compliance with privacy and data protection regulations.
* Information on Companies House is self-reported, so make sure to verify details before drawing conclusions.<br>

### Related Tools:

* OpenCorporates
* Crunchbase
* LinkedIn
* UK Land Registry

#### Sources:

<https://www.gov.uk/guidance/search-the-companies-house-register>&#x20;

<https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/companies-house>&#x20;

<https://publicinsights.uk/blog/the-impact-of-identity-verification-at-companies-house-on-osint>&#x20;

<https://blackdotsolutions.com/blog/from-registry-to-gatekeeper-companies-houses-strategic-intelligence-assessment-and-its-new-role-in-combating-economic-crime>&#x20;

<https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/26/jennifer-arcuri-hacker-house-hastily-new-office-boris-johnson-grant-inquiry>&#x20;