Businesses should prepare for a change to how they access Companies House online services, with GOV.UK One Login set to become the main way to sign in.
Small and medium-sized businesses should be aware of changes being introduced by Companies House to the way users access its online services.
From late August 2026, GOV.UK One Login will become the main sign-in option for the Find and update company information service.
What is changing?
The change affects the sign-in process, rather than the company information or services themselves.
Existing Companies House users will initially still be able to sign in using their current Companies House account details. However, this option will appear further down the sign-in page.
New users will need a GOV.UK One Login to access Companies House services. Companies House says that, in the future, all users will need to move to GOV.UK One Login, although businesses will be given notice before this becomes compulsory.
For SMEs, this means that anyone responsible for managing company information, filing information or accessing Companies House services should be prepared for the new login process.
What is GOV.UK One Login?
GOV.UK One Login is designed to provide a single way of accessing a range of government services.
Users sign in using their email address and password and will also need multi-factor authentication (MFA) through an authenticator app or SMS. Companies House says the system will also provide additional security for Companies House accounts.
It is important to note that this particular change is not an instruction to verify your identity. Companies House has specifically stated that the change relates to how users sign in.
Shared company accounts could cause problems
One issue that SMEs should pay particular attention to is the use of shared Companies House accounts.
GOV.UK One Login accounts are intended for individual users and must be linked to that person’s own email address and phone number.
This could create an issue for businesses where several employees, accountants or advisers currently share a single Companies House account.
Companies House advises organisations using shared accounts to start planning how access will be managed when GOV.UK One Login becomes compulsory. Each person who needs access should create their own Companies House account linked to their own GOV.UK One Login.
The warning is particularly important because continuing to share an account after it has been linked to GOV.UK One Login could trigger security controls and potentially lock users out.
What should SMEs do now?
There is no immediate need for businesses with existing accounts to panic or change their processes overnight. However, this is a useful opportunity to review who within the business has access to Companies House services.
SMEs should consider:
-
Checking who currently has access to their Companies House account.
-
Identifying any shared logins used by directors, employees, finance teams or external advisers.
-
Making sure individual users have their own email addresses and phone numbers available for GOV.UK One Login.
-
Planning ahead for the transition, rather than waiting until the existing sign-in method is withdrawn.
-
Making sure key staff understand the new MFA requirement, particularly where authenticator apps or SMS are involved.
For businesses that use an accountant, company secretarial provider or other external adviser to manage Companies House filings, it would also be sensible to clarify how access will be handled under the new system.
Part of a wider Companies House change programme
The sign-in change comes as Companies House continues a broader programme of digital and regulatory changes affecting UK businesses.
For SMEs, the practical message is simple: if your business relies on Companies House online services, now is a good time to review your account access arrangements and prepare for individual GOV.UK One Login access.
Changes to how you sign in to the Find and update company information service – GOV.UK
