Free Guide
How to Check if a UK Company is Legitimate
Seven practical checks you can run right now using free, publicly available data. No sign-up required, no software to install.
Why This Matters
UK businesses lose billions each year to fraud, and a significant proportion of that starts with a company that looks legitimate on the surface but isn't. Whether you're about to hire a contractor, pay a supplier, or invest in a business, a few minutes of due diligence can save you thousands.
The good news: most of the information you need is publicly available through Companies House, the UK's official register of companies. Every limited company in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland must file certain information, and anyone can search it for free.
Seven Checks to Verify a UK Company
Search Companies House
Start by searching for the company on Financial Pages or directly at Companies House. Enter the company name or number and check the basics:
- The company status should be Active. If it says Dissolved, Liquidation, or Administration, that's a clear signal.
- The registered company name should match what they're trading as. Minor differences are normal (trading names vs registered names), but a complete mismatch is a warning.
- The company number is unique and permanent. If someone gives you a company number, check it matches the name they've given you.
Check the Registered Address
Every UK limited company must have a registered office address. This is publicly visible and doesn't have to be where they actually work, but it can tell you a lot:
- Virtual office addresses are legal and common, but if a company claims to have premises and their registered address is a PO box or a known virtual office provider, that's worth questioning.
- Mass-registration addresses — where hundreds of companies share one address — can be a red flag. Not always fraudulent (accountants often register clients at their office), but worth noting.
- Does the address match what's on their website and invoices?
Look at the Directors
Companies House lists all current and former directors. Check:
- How long they've served. A director appointed last week to a company that claims ten years of experience is a mismatch worth investigating.
- Their other directorships. A director with multiple dissolved companies might indicate a pattern. One or two is normal — business failure happens. Ten or more dissolved companies is a pattern.
- Disqualified directors. The Companies House disqualified directors register shows anyone banned from acting as a company director. If someone on this list is running the company, that's illegal.
Review Filing History
Every UK limited company must file annual accounts and a confirmation statement. Their filing record tells a story:
- Regular, on-time filings are a healthy sign. The company is meeting its legal obligations.
- Late filings attract penalties from Companies House and can indicate cash flow problems or disorganisation.
- Overdue filings are more serious. Companies House can strike off a company for persistent non-filing. If accounts or a confirmation statement are overdue, proceed with caution.
- No filings at all on a supposedly established company is a major red flag.
Check for Insolvency or Charges
Companies House records show whether a company has any outstanding charges (secured loans) or insolvency proceedings:
- Charges are registered when a company uses assets as security for a loan. Having charges isn't unusual — most businesses with property or significant assets will have them. But a company drowning in charges relative to its size could be overleveraged.
- County Court Judgments (CCJs) aren't shown on Companies House, but you can check them separately. A CCJ means a court has ruled that the company owes money and hasn't paid.
- Insolvency proceedings (administration, liquidation, voluntary arrangements) appear on the filing history. Any active insolvency process means the company is in serious financial difficulty.
Verify the Company Age
The incorporation date tells you how long the company has existed. This is a useful data point, not a definitive judgement:
- Newly formed companies (less than a year old) aren't inherently suspicious, but if someone claims a long track record and the company was incorporated last month, that's a contradiction.
- Established companies (several years of filings) give you more data to work with — you can see their financial trajectory over time.
- Some fraudulent operations register companies, use them briefly, then dissolve them and start again. A pattern of short-lived companies under the same director is a warning sign.
Cross-Reference Their Website
If the company has a website, cross-check the details against what Companies House shows:
- UK law requires limited companies to display their registered company name, number, and registered office address on their website. If these are missing, that's a legal requirement they're not meeting.
- Does the company number on their website footer match the one on Companies House?
- Does the VAT number (if shown) check out? You can verify UK VAT numbers on the HMRC VAT checker.
- Are the director names on their "About" page the same people listed at Companies House?
Red Flags to Watch For
None of these are proof of fraud on their own, but multiple red flags together should make you pause.
Company status isn't Active
Dissolved, in liquidation, or struck off
Overdue filings
Accounts or confirmation statement not filed on time
Director with many dissolved companies
A pattern of starting and dissolving businesses quickly
Very recently incorporated
But claims years of trading history
No website or unverifiable details
Company number doesn't match, missing legal info
Pressure to pay quickly
Urgency combined with any of the above is a strong warning
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