People with Significant Control Register (PSC)

What is the PSC Register?

As of April 2016, all UK Limited companies, including Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), and Societas Europaea (SEs), are to provide Companies House a record of people who own or control their company. Also known as people with significant control (PSC). 

A PSC is someone who:

• owns more than 25% of the company’s shares
• holds more than 25% of the company’s voting rights
• holds the right to appoint or remove the majority of directors

There are two further, less common, options. These are:

• has the right to, or exercises significant influence or control
• holds the right to exercise or actually exercises significant control over a trust or company that meets one of the first 4 conditions.

For most companies, the first three rules above will allow you to identify your PSCs. You can find more info on how to identify your PSCs. If you discover you don’t have any PSCs, you must state this on your register.

What information must be included on the PSC

You’ll need to include the following information (and confirm these details with your PSCs before you add them):

• full name
• date of birth (only month and year are displayed on public record)
• nationality
• country of residence
• residential address (not displayed on public record)
• service address (can be the same as the registered office)

You’ll also need to include the date when they became a PSC and which of the statements above applies to them (eg they hold more than 25% of your company’s shares).

If the PSC is a relevant legal entity (such as a company) or a legal person (eg corporation sole, government department, international organisation) you'll need to provide their name, address, details of their legal form and, if applicable, where they are registered (including registration number). More information about corporate PSCs can be found on our blog.
Remember, people are entitled to see your register and may ask to see it.

Restrict the disclosure of PSC information

Some companies have PSCs whose information is protected. This could mean their usual residential address (URA) is protected so it isn't disclosed to credit reference agencies (CRAs). If you have a PSC whose URA is protected from being disclosed to CRAs, you can file your confirmation statement as normal, digitally or on paper. There’s a box on the form you should tick if an application for protection has been made or granted. The box on the form refers to an exemption under section 790ZF of Companies Act 2006.

If you have a PSC whose information is protected (meaning the person(s) is already protected under the section 790ZF), and you want to file your PSC information with Company Formation MadeSimple, then let us know.

Further information regarding restricting PSC info can be at  Companies House.

How to file your PSC information

Newly incorporated companies
If you incorporate your company from 30 June 2016, the PSC information must be filed together with your company registration.

If you incorporate a company with us, a PSC section will be included in your company registration. Both your company registration and PSC will be submitted to Companies House. You can then update the PSC information from your online account should you need to add, remove or edit a PSC. 

Existing companies
Companies incorporated before 30 June 2016, will need to provide the PSC information before their first confirmation statement.
You can find out when your company's confirmation statement is due via your MadeSimple account. Go to My Companies (login required) and click on your company name, you will see the date in the "Company Details" section.

If you're signed up to our free eReminders service, Companies House will send a reminder email's when your confirmation statement and accounts are due. 

Need help with filing PSC information?
We can help you file your PSC information via our online portal. Once you have logged in, you will need to go to "My Companies", click on the company you want to update and then scroll down to the PSC section to make your relevant changes.

Alternatively, you can file the PSC information yourself at Companies House.

It’s a criminal offence to not provide this information. 

My company doesn't have a PSC

The PSC requirements apply whether your company has a PSC or not. If you have taken all reasonable steps and are confident there are no individuals or legal entities which meet any of the conditions in relation to your company, you are required to select this option in the PSC section when filling out your company registration.

Should your circumstances change, you can always add a PSC via your online portal.

Keeping a record of the PSC Register

All UK companies must maintain and store a Register of people with significant control (PSC) in the company. This PSC information should then be made available to Companies House before your next confirmation statement is filed.

We can store your company's PSC information with our online admin system via our PSC Register service.

Failure to keep a register is a criminal offence and company directors who do not comply could receive a fine and have their company closed down.