New Powers – Companies House

Effective 4 March 2024, Cmpanies House started using its new powers (under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act) to clean up and improve the integrity of the register. Companies House can now also reject an application to register a name where it has reason to believe:

• the name is intended to facilitate fraud
• the name is comprised of or contains a computer code
• the name is likely to give the false impression the company is connected to a foreign government or an international organisation whose members include two or more countries or territories (or their governments)

It can also direct companies to change their name in more circumstances, for example, where the name has been used, or is intended to be used, by the company to facilitate fraudulent activity.

If a company fails to change its name within 28 days, it can determine a new name for the company, for example, changing the company name to its registered company number.

Reference: Companies House New Powers. Accessed 14 April 2024