What is Companies House?
The UK register of companies, and the body you incorporate with.
Companies House holds the public register of every UK company. Incorporating online costs £100 and is usually done within a day.
The word to sit with is public. A company’s registered office, its directors and its accounts are visible to anyone, which is a real difference from being a sole trader and one people rarely weigh up front.
Directors and people with significant control now also have to verify their identity, which became a legal requirement on 18 November 2025.