Companies House, HMRC and FCA updates
IPA Insolvency Practitioner newsletter, March 2025
Companies House
Companies House are introducing a new identity verification process to help deter those wishing to use companies for illegal purposes.
From 8 April 2025, you will be able to voluntarily verify your identity with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
Identity verification will become compulsory in the future for new directors and people with significant control (PSCs); existing directors and PSCs; and anyone acting on behalf of a company.
From 18 March 2025, AML supervised firms and sole traders can apply to become ACSPs. ACSPs will also be known as authorised agents. Read more
Companies House sharing of non-public information
The Information Sharing (Disclosure by the Registrar) Regulations 2024 came into effect from 20 December 2024, extending Companies House’s powers to allow disclosure of non-public information by Companies House to public authorities so that those authorities can carry out their functions.
HMRC
HMRC to launch personal tax query resolution service as part of tax system improvement measures
HMRC reports that the new personal tax query resolution service will focus on PAYE and Self-Assessment queries that the Agent Dedicated Line or Agent Webchat haven’t been able to resolve. It will be necessary to have made at least two attempts to resolve the query by contacting the Agent Dedicated Line or Agent Webchat. Additionally, 20 working days will need to have passed from the date stated in HMRC’s Where’s my Reply tool.
The service will be run via a dedicated mailbox, for which the details will be announced when the service launches on 31 March 2025.
HMRC insolvency practitioner bulletins
Click here to access HMRC’s latest bulletin, a VAT7 form update published 14 March 2025.
Companies House and HMRC joint filing service
From 31 March 2026, the online filing service will close. You can still use it to file and amend your Company Tax Return with HMRC and your accounts with Companies House up to and including this date.
From 1 April 2026, commercial software will need to be used to file annual accounts and Company Tax returns with HMRC. Other options are available for filing your Companies House accounts. Read more
Financial Conduct Authority
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has reviewed how firms are supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances and whether its existing guidance is still appropriate. Read more
The Vulnerability Review: Findings and next steps webinar