Confirmation statement rejected because of an unverified director? Here's what's happening

Since 18 November 2025, Companies House rejects a confirmation statement (CS01) if any current director of the company has not completed identity verification under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA). This catches thousands of companies by surprise, because the rule is enforced per company at its own filing date - there was no single deadline everyone could plan around.

Why your filing was blocked

ECCTA requires every UK company director and person with significant control (PSC) to verify their identity with Companies House - either directly through GOV.UK One Login or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). New directors must verify at appointment. Existing directors must verify before their company's next confirmation statement. If even one director on the register is unverified when you file, the statement is rejected.

Why this matters beyond the inconvenience

• Failing to file a confirmation statement is itself an offence, and persistent failure starts the strike-off process.
• From 18 November 2026, acting as an unverified director becomes a criminal offence with fines and potential disqualification.
• Lenders, platforms and counterparties increasingly treat unverified directors as a red flag in onboarding checks.

How to fix it

1. Find out exactly who is unverified. The Companies House register now records verification status per officer. You can check any company free with our ECCTA verification checker - it lists every unverified director and PSC by name.
2. Get them verified. The individual verifies once via GOV.UK One Login (photo ID + likeness check) or through an ACSP such as an accountant or formation agent. It typically takes minutes when documents are in order.
3. Re-file the confirmation statement once every director shows as verified.

If you look after many companies

For accountants, company secretaries and advisors, the real problem is not one blocked filing - it is not knowing which of your clients are next. Each client company hits this wall at its own confirmation statement date. Checking the register client-by-client, month after month, does not scale. That is exactly what our free portfolio scan is for: send us your client list and get back a gap report ranked by filing date.