In light of the new identity verification rules introduced by Companies House, Amiqus is at the forefront of ensuring compliance through its advanced biometric ID verification. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, including NFC capabilities, Amiqus provides a seamless solution for identity verification, helping businesses comply with the rigorous standards set by Companies House.
Changes under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act came into force in October 2023, with key aims to improve the accuracy and quality of the data on registers, to help tackle economic crime and to drive confidence in the UK economy.
Under the Act, anyone involved in setting up, running, owning or controlling a company must verify their identity to prove they are who they claim to be.
This will soon be mandatory for:
- Existing directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs)
- New directors and PSCs
- Anyone acting on behalf of a company
Starting 8 April 2025, such individuals could voluntarily verify their identities with Companies House, either directly or through an approved third-party provider recognised as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
Who are ACSPs, and what is their role?
Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) include individuals and organisations that are supervised for anti-money laundering purposes, such as:
- Solicitors
- Accountants
- Chartered secretaries and governance professionals
- Company formation agents
From 18 March 2025, any third-party agents submitting information to Companies House on behalf of their clients must register as ACSPs.
This registration will allow Companies House to reliably identify who is filing on behalf of companies, enabling prompt action when an agent appears to be acting unlawfully, thus safeguarding legitimate businesses and the public.
If you qualify as an ACSP, how can you verify your client’s identity?
ACSPs can use identification document validation technology (IDVT) to authenticate the client-provided identity document or conduct a manual verification to meet Companies House’s identity verification standards.
The required identity documents will vary depending on the chosen method. You can find the complete list of acceptable documents for both methods in the Companies House guidance.
Why IDVT, and how can Amiqus assist you?
If you are a solicitor, accountant, or any other professional who registers as an ACSP, it will be essential to verify the identities of multiple clients to comply with Companies House regulations.
This process can be cumbersome, administratively intensive, and time-consuming if manual identity checks are employed.
Furthermore, only someone trained in detecting false documents by a specialised provider can effectively conduct these checks, introducing extra potential risk to your business.
The Amiqus platform, employing IDVT technology, helps you meet identity verification standards while ensuring an excellent client experience through our NFC Photo ID check and Identity report. This streamlines the entire process, making it quick, secure, and efficient, even at scale and volume.
Photo ID check
At Amiqus, we leverage the NFC (Near Field Communication) technology in smartphones to read the chip embedded within identity documents. This chip holds personal details and a digital version of the passport photo, ensuring it matches the information visible on the physical document.
Additionally, the chip contains data about the document’s digital security and authenticity. Our process includes facial verification, where we compare a live image of the individual with the high-resolution face image from their identity document. This ensures the person presenting the document is its rightful owner.
Clients simply download the Amiqus app, tap their mobile device against their biometric passport cover, take a photo of the picture page, and record a video selfie.
By merging the passport chip data with the photo of the passport’s photo page and assessing facial similarity and liveness, Amiqus delivers a thorough and reliable ID process.
Alerts will notify you of any discrepancies arise between the chip data and the photo page, along with the matching percentage between the selfie and the passport photo.
Identity report
To help verify clients’ address histories, we also provide an identity report that matches names and birth dates against multiple data sources linked to addresses. It serves to confirm clients’ identities through independent data cross-checking from:
- Our supplier’s internal Credit Reference Agency (CRA) data, which includes records from utility companies, banks, and financial institutions. This incorporates ‘SHARE’ records like bank accounts, mortgages, and utility bills, as well as DVLA data
- The electoral roll maintained by local councils across the UK
- General county court judgment (CCJ) records managed by Trust Online, a charity associated with the Ministry of Justice, along with Scotland’s equivalent “decrees”
- The Postcode Address File (PAF), held by Royal Mail as a private entity
- The HALO deceased register, maintained by HALO, a private company
- The General Register Office (GRO) deceased register, part of the Home Office, which includes records for Scotland and Northern Ireland
Why does cryptographic verification matter for ACSPs?
ACSPs must take into account the guidance provided by Companies House on How to meet Companies House identity verification standards and The Registrar’s (Identity Verification by Authorised Corporate Service Providers Rules) 2025.
The official expectations on this topic are:
For option 1, you must use identification document validation technology (IDVT) to validate the cryptographic features of the document. If the document does not have cryptographic features (for example, if it’s a non-chipped document such as a UK driving licence), the technology you use must be able to validate the physical security features to verify the document.
Applicant refers to the person requesting verification or reverification of their identity by an ACSP.
The rules also state, “When available, biometric or photographic evidence must be used to assess likeness against the individual. If an applicant is eligible to obtain this evidence from the relevant authority, it is considered available, even if they do not currently hold it.” As such, failing to provide this evidence may be deemed unacceptable.
What are cryptographic features, and why are they important?
Cryptographic features of identity documentation are security features that correctly identify the person or organisation that issued the documentation.
Many modern identity documents, such as passports and ID cards, include an RFID chip. This chip stores reliable personal information, including the holder’s full name, date of birth, nationality, and a high-resolution face image suitable for face matching. These features make cryptographic checks an essential step in verifying the authenticity of identity documents.
Audits and reviews
Companies House mandates that ACSPs retain all records of evidence and information used to verify an individual’s identity for seven years from the date of completing the client’s identity verification.
Amiqus can help you not only perform the necessary ID checks but also keep a complete record of end-to-end compliance activities through our audit trail functionality—all within a single centralised platform. This ensures that you are well-prepared for any future audits or inspections.
To learn more about how Amiqus can support you in meeting the new Companies House requirements, schedule a quick call with our team today or email us at sales@amiqus.co.