What It Means for Healthcare Professionals
From 18 November 2025, Companies House will require identity verification for directors, persons with significant control (PSCs) and certain LLP members.
If you run a private practice, PCN, dental practice, optician’s business or pharmacy via a limited company structure, here’s what you need to know and how SIAL Accountants can guide you through it.
Why the change matters for your practice
- Many healthcare-business owners operate through limited companies (for example, a GP clinic, dental surgery, pharmacy business) or hold shares/PSC status in such entities.
- The new verification rules mean that any director or PSC must verify their identity before certain filings (such as confirmation statements) can go ahead.
- Failure to verify means your company may be prevented from filing key documents, potentially impacting regulatory compliance, access to NHS contracts/licences, or the smooth operation of your business.
- Given the specialist nature of healthcare businesses (often regulated, often multi-company structures, sometimes overseas shareholders or variable roles such as consultants, locums, pharmacists), you’ll want to ensure you’re fully ahead of this requirement.
Who is directly impacted in a medical/healthcare context
- Directors (including non-executive or holding-company directors) of healthcare-related companies.
- PSCs – for example, a partner in a dental practice company, a pharmacist shareholder who controls the business, or an optician who holds a beneficial interest.
- Practice owners who may hold multiple entities (e.g., property company, trading company) and therefore multiple roles.
- New appointments or incorporations – If you plan to establish a company (say a new dental subsidiary or a pharmacy venture) after 18 November, verification will be required as part of the incorporation or appointment process.
What you need to do now (and what we will ask from you)
Step 1: Identify the individuals
List all directors and PSCs across your structure (including associated companies). For example, a GP who holds shares in the practice company plus a property-holding company will need separate verification links for each role.
Step 2: Gather supporting documents
Each individual should have:
- A valid photo ID (e.g., UK passport or driving licence)
- Recent proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, council tax, dated within 3 months)
- Country from which they’ll perform the verification if overseas
- Access to a smartphone/webcam if a biometric or liveness check is required
Step 3: Complete the verification
- Contact us to complete verification, as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) on your behalf, we will conduct the check, submit the link to Companies House, manage the audit-trail and ensure compliance.
Step 4: Timing
While the mandatory date is 18 November 2025 for new appointments/incorporations, existing officers have a 12-month transition period aligned with their next annual confirmation statement.
Why using SIAL Accountants for this makes sense
- Our firm already supports healthcare professionals (doctors, dentists, opticians, pharmacists) with company formations, private practice structures, NHS pension/McCloud issues, and tax-efficient extraction of income. This new requirement is directly aligned with your business structure needs.
- We handle the end-to-end process: checking eligibility, collecting documents, verifying identity, reporting to Companies House, and keeping the required records securely (in line with AML/GDPR standards).
- We can offer practical guidance for overseas directors/PSC situations (which commonly apply in the healthcare field) and help coordinate with your company secretarial records.
- By integrating the verification process with our advisory services, you minimise compliance risk and administrative burden, leaving you free to focus on clinical practice and patient care.