Starting February 1, 2026, UK businesses will see significant changes to the fees charged by Companies House, the registrar of companies in the United Kingdom. These adjustments mark a crucial phase in the implementation of the government’s strategy to combat economic crime and enhance corporate transparency.
The most notable changes are the doubling of the digital company incorporation fee to £100 and a sharp increase in the digital confirmation statement fee to £50. Conversely, the fee for voluntarily striking a company off the register will drop to a low of £13, encouraging the cleanup of the register.
These increases are not arbitrary. They are a direct result of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Act 2023, which has transformed Companies House from a passive filing repository into an active gatekeeper and regulator. For all companies, from start-ups to established enterprises, understanding these new costs and, more importantly, what they fund—a more robust, reliable, and secure corporate environment—is essential for compliance and future planning.
Understanding the New Companies House Fee Schedule (Effective 01/02/2026)
The fee structure changes across the board for key services. Companies House has consistently promoted digital filing, and the new fees maintain a clear cost incentive for doing so, with paper filings attracting significantly higher costs.
Key Digital Filing Changes for Companies and LLPs
The financial impact of the changes is most noticeable in the fees for starting and maintaining a company.
| Filing Transaction | Current Digital Fee (Approx.) | New Digital Fee (From 01/02/2026) | Change |
| Company Incorporation | £50 | £100 | +100% |
| Confirmation Statement | £34 | £50 | +47% |
| Voluntary Strike-Off | £33 | £13 | -61% |
| Same Day Incorporation | £78 | £156 | +100% |
| Registration of LLP | £50 | £100 | +100% |
The Rationale Behind the Changes
Companies House justifies these fee changes as a necessary measure to ensure that its services are correctly priced to match the cost of delivery and to fund its expanded remit.
- Cost Reflective: The fees now better reflect the cost of running and modernising the digital infrastructure, which is a major focus for the agency.
- Funding Enforcement: The income provides the financial foundation for the aggressive implementation of the ECCT Act, which requires more sophisticated technology, increased staffing, and a significant boost to enforcement capabilities.
- Encouraging Register Clean-up: The reduction in the voluntary strike-off fee from £33 to £13 is a deliberate move to incentivise legitimate businesses to remove dormant or unwanted entities from the register efficiently, reducing the potential for misuse by fraudsters.
The Core Mission: Funding the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Act
The fee increases are intrinsically linked to the government’s efforts to strengthen the UK’s reputation as a safe place to do business by tackling misuse of corporate structures. The income generated funds the new, powerful functions of Companies House, transforming it from a passive administrator to an active gatekeeper and law enforcement partner.
New Powers of the Registrar of Companies
The ECCT Act grants Companies House unprecedented powers, which require substantial funding to operationalise:
- Data Scrutiny and Cleaning: Companies House can now query, reject, amend, or remove false and misleading information from the register. This means the Registrar actively monitors the quality of data, rather than simply accepting what is filed.
- Stronger Checks: The Registrar will be implementing stronger checks on company names that may give a false or misleading impression, protecting the public from deceptive entities.
- Digital Filing Mandates: To improve data quality and efficiency, the Act enables the Registrar to mandate digital filing for many documents, a clear push toward phasing out paper-based processes (as reflected in the higher paper filing fees).
- Data Sharing: The Registrar has increased powers to share information with law enforcement agencies and other government departments, improving intelligence gathering and disruption of economic crime.
Funding The Insolvency Service’s Investigation and Enforcement
A portion of the fee income is allocated to The Insolvency Service, which acts as the government’s corporate enforcement agency. This funding boost enhances their ability to take robust action against corporate wrongdoing.
- Wider Enforcement Remit: The Insolvency Service has wide-ranging enforcement powers, including winding up companies in the public interest, disqualifying directors, and prosecuting those suspected of fraud, financial wrongdoing, and other company offences.
- Increased Capacity: The dedicated funding ensures the Insolvency Service has the necessary resources, people, and sophisticated tools to investigate and quickly take action against fraudulent companies and unfit directors.
The Biggest Change: Compulsory Identity Verification
While the fee changes take effect in February 2026, a related and even more impactful measure under the ECCT Act, compulsory identity verification, begins phasing in sooner, from November 18, 2025.
Who Must Verify Their Identity?
This new requirement applies to individuals who hold key roles within a company:
- New and Existing Directors
- LLP Members
- Persons with Significant Control (PSCs)
- Individuals filing on behalf of a company
The verification process is mandatory to confirm that the person setting up or running a company is genuinely who they claim to be, thereby reducing the use of false identities by criminals.
Consequences of Non-Verification
Failure to comply with the compulsory identity verification requirement carries severe consequences:
- Criminal Offence: It will be a criminal offence for individuals to act as an unverified director or PSC.
- Filing Restrictions: Individuals who have not verified their identity will be unable to file documents on behalf of a company.
- Disqualification: Directors who act without verification, or who have a history of persistent breaches, could face disqualification from holding directorships.
This measure is fundamental to the ECCT Act’s aim of creating a transparent marketplace, ensuring that the public register holds accurate information about the people actually controlling companies.
Planning for Business Owners: Action Points
Legitimate businesses are the ultimate beneficiaries of a cleaner, more reliable register, but they must adapt to the new costs and compliance requirements.
- Budget for Increased Costs: Businesses should immediately factor the new £50 Confirmation Statement fee into their annual compliance budget, a nearly 50% increase from the previous digital rate.
- Act Early for New Entities: Any individuals or firms planning to incorporate new companies should aim to complete the process before February 1, 2026, to benefit from the lower £50 incorporation fee.
- Prioritise ID Verification: Company officers should actively prepare for and complete their mandatory identity verification from November 2025 to avoid any disruption to their ability to act as a director or file documents.
- Embrace Digital Filing: The significant fee disparity between digital and paper filings (e.g., £50 digital Confirmation Statement vs. £110 paper) makes digital submission the default, cost-effective choice for compliance.
The work being done by Companies House, funded by these revised fees, is geared toward boosting economic confidence and ensuring the UK remains a premier place to start and grow a business, secure from the risks posed by economic crime.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When exactly do the new Companies House fees take effect?
The new Companies House fee schedule will officially take effect on February 1, 2026. Any filings submitted on or after this date will be charged at the new rates.
Which fees are changing the most significantly?
The most significant changes are the digital company incorporation fee, which doubles from £50 to £100, and the digital confirmation statement fee, which increases from £34 to £50. Conversely, the digital voluntary strike-off fee decreases to £13.
Why are Companies House fees being increased so much?
The fees are being increased to fund the agency’s expanded responsibilities under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Act 2023. This includes implementing mandatory identity verification, enhancing data quality checks, and funding enforcement activities carried out by both Companies House and The Insolvency Service.
Will the new fees apply to Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)?
Yes. The fees for LLPs are also increasing. For example, the digital incorporation fee for an LLP will rise from £50 to £100, and the LLP digital confirmation statement fee will increase to £50.
What is mandatory identity verification, and when does it start?
Mandatory identity verification is a new requirement under the ECCT Act for all directors, PSCs, and those filing with Companies House. It starts phasing in from November 18, 2025, and is designed to ensure people running companies are who they claim to be, thereby tackling fraud.
What benefits does a legitimate business get from these increased fees?
Legitimate businesses benefit from a more trustworthy and secure business environment. The fees fund the removal of fraudulent or misleading information from the register, disrupt criminals who abuse corporate structures, and enhance the credibility of registered UK companies globally, making the marketplace safer for trade and investment.