Holly Minney
Company & Commercial
Prepare to Register as an ACSP for Companies House Filings
A recent post from Companies House outlines the steps that accountancy firms, law firms, and other organisations must take to become “authorised corporate service providers” (ACSPs). This registration is necessary before they can file information on behalf of companies or other registered entities at Companies House.
What Are ACSPs?
The introduction of ACSPs is part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), which aims to tackle economic crime and prevent misuse of corporate structures. A crucial aspect of this legislation is ensuring transparency about who is filing information at Companies House for registered entities.
Under the ECCTA, Companies House will need to verify the identities of individuals submitting information to the public register. While this can be done by a verified director of the company, many firms rely on third parties, like accountants, for these tasks. To continue this practice, these third parties must register as ACSPs. Only organisations that comply with the Money Laundering Regulations and are supervised in the UK by designated Anti-Money Laundering (AML) bodies can register as ACSPs.
The Registration Process
According to the Companies House blog, the registration should be completed by a senior figure within the organisation, such as a director. This individual will need to verify their own identity as part of the process. After registration, the ACSP will receive a digital account and identity number, enabling them to file information at Companies House and perform identity verification checks for their clients.
Currently, the registration process is not open for applications. The Companies House Business Plan for 2024-25 states that individual identity verification for directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) will begin in March 2025. Registering ACSPs is a key step in this timeline, and the application process is expected to open later this year.
James Bowles an Associate in the Corporate and Commercial team said:
“Organisations should start preparing for this registration now. A senior staff member should be appointed to oversee the process and gather the necessary information. This includes the organisation’s AML supervisory body membership number and details to verify the identity of the responsible individual. It’s essential to keep an eye on announcements from Companies House to ensure timely registration, allowing the organisation to continue filing information on behalf of clients.”