Upcoming changes to company statutory registers

From 18 November 2025, companies will no longer be required to maintain local statutory registers for directors, secretaries, or persons with significant control (PSCs).

This forms part of a broader set of reforms introduced by Companies House to improve corporate transparency and streamline company administration.

What changes are being made?

Currently, all companies are required to maintain local registers of PSCs, directors, directors’ residential addresses, and secretaries. These registers, among other optional registers, are usually kept in a hard-copy format although in recent years many companies have opted to use digital registers in their place.

Private companies have also been able to elect to keep information about directors and secretaries on the central register maintained by Companies House, rather than locally.

From 18 November 2025, the requirement to maintain these registers will be abolished. Instead:

• Companies will need to file relevant information directly with Companies House
• Local registers for PSCs, directors, and secretaries will no longer be required
• The option to use the central register will be removed.

While the nature of the information filed at Companies House will largely remain the same, some updates are being made. For example, companies will no longer need to report a director’s business occupation.

Key change for PSC information

Under the new rules, Companies House must be updated within 14 days of any change to a company’s PSC’s details. This is designed to ensure more timely and accurate public records and shortening the period between internal updates and the filings made at Companies House.

What about the register of members?

The register of members (i.e. shareholders) is not affected in the same way. Where companies currently keep their register of members on the central register, they will need to produce a local register. Otherwise, companies are unlikely to see any change in their existing requirements.

From November 2025:

• All companies must retain their local register of members
• The register must be held at the company’s registered office or a designated single alternative inspection location
• The register must continue to be kept up to date and available for inspection.

What do companies need to do?

From 18 November 2025, companies:

• Should ensure that their information is up-to-date at Companies House
• Can cease maintaining their local statutory registers for directors, secretaries, and PSCs
• Must begin complying with Companies House’s new, shorter timescales for filing any changes to relevant company details
• Must retain and maintain a local register of members.

Companies should review and update their internal processes to ensure they can meet the new filing obligations in a timely manner, such as removing any unnecessary delay in informing their company secretarial providers or accountants when changes occur.

How HCR can help

Our team is here to help you prepare for these regulatory changes. Whether you need help producing a local register of members, maintaining or correcting filings at Companies House, or updating your internal procedures, we can provide practical and tailored advice to suit. For more information or assistance, please contact us via the form below.

For more information or assistance, please contact [email protected].