Due to the advantages it offers its owners, a non-public company limited by shares is the most well-liked company structure within the UK. Nevertheless, one potential drawback to operating as a limited company is the quantity of knowledge that’s placed on the general public register when an organization is formed, including the names of all of the people related to the corporate.
So, is it possible to establish an organization anonymously? Let’s have a look.
The individuals with significant control register
Generally speaking, the reply isn’t any, you can’t form a limited company in complete privacy.
Previously, nominee directors, secretaries, and shareholders could provide anonymity to the people behind an organization. Nominees (an individual or other corporate entity) did this by allowing their name and private details for use on the Firms House public register as a substitute of the particular person/people behind an organization.
They took no lively role in the corporate, and all roles and responsibilities were signed over to the ‘real’ directors, secretaries, and shareholders via documentation (corresponding to a deed of indemnity).
Whilst that is technically still permitted, the introduction of the individuals with significant control register (PSC register) in April 2016 has essentially made nominee appointments redundant.
It’s because the aim of the PSC register is to advertise transparency in limited corporations, by ensuring the individuals who hold ultimate control of an organization – even in the event that they’re not directors or shareholders – are named on the general public register. In rare cases, a PSC’s information might be shielded from the general public register. We’ll take a look at this shortly.
This implies, even when a nominee appointment were in place, the real authorities in the corporate would still have their names published on the general public register together with their correspondence address, month and 12 months of birth, nationality, and the precise nature of their control (for instance, they own 75% or more of the shares in the corporate).
In rare instances, certain information might be withheld from the Firms House register
The query ‘can I arrange an organization anonymously?’ immediately throws up images of shady operations; nevertheless, there are legitimate explanation why someone may need to make themselves anonymous when organising an organization.
Soon-to-be business owners may need to maintain their personal information private from competitors, customers, and current employers (if the corporate was being arrange whilst still in full-time employment).
Whilst there are not any measures in place to totally hide an individual from the general public register in these scenarios, Firms House does allow PSCs to have all of their information protected if the PSC in query:
- Has been targeted by activists
- Is licensed under the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
- Is lively within the defence industry
- Is an easily traceable supplier (or partner of) one in all these organisations
- Has one other appropriate reason for having their information withheld
Likewise, directors can have their residential address (only) shielded from credit reference agencies if any of the above criteria apply to them (directors must provide a residential when being appointed to an organization, this isn’t made publicly available but is shared with credit reference agencies). See the dedicated gov.uk ‘Applying to guard your personal information on the Firms House register’ page for more information.
Protecting your residential address from the general public register
As mentioned, the value you pay for reaping the various advantages of running as a limited company is that certain company, personal and financial information is placed on the Firms House public register, making it freely accessible to anyone who’s interested.
This includes the below:
- Registered office address
- SIC code(s)
- Full names – for directors, secretaries, shareholders, and PSCs
- Month and 12 months of birth – for directors and PSCs
- Correspondence address (also generally known as the service address) – for directors, secretaries, shareholders, and PSCs
- Nationality – for directors and PSCs
- Any documents which might be filed post-company formation with Firms House, including annual accounts and confirmation statements
As you may see, the registered office and the correspondence address are placed on the general public register. Subsequently, for those who use a residential address as either of those – something that’s permitted – you’re immediately compromising your personal address.
This may belittle your organization by signposting its home-based nature and make you vulnerable to unwanted visitors and potential fraud.
Nevertheless, no actual trading activity has to happen on the registered office or correspondence address provided.
This implies you should utilize any UK address as your organization’s registered office and any address worldwide for the correspondence address, provided that you could have permission from the owner to make use of the address as a registered office and/or correspondence address, and that any official mail that arrives on the address is passed on to the suitable person in the corporate.
It needs to be noted that almost all tenancy agreements within the UK prohibit the usage of the address as a registered office address. With our address services, you should utilize our Covent Garden, London address as your registered office, correspondence address, and business address (mailing address). They’re perfect for shielding your own home address from the general public register and boosting the image of your organization with a longtime address in a bustling business location. See the below links for more information:
Thanks for reading
Are you able to arrange an organization anonymously? No, but you may take steps to ensure that your own home address doesn’t appear on the general public register.
We hope you could have found this post helpful. Please leave a comment if you could have any questions on organising a limited company or our address services, and we’ll be completely happy to assist.
