What to do if you try to verify your ID for Companies House using the Gov.UK One login and it rejects you?

If you try to verify your ID for Companies House using the Gov.UK One login and it rejects you – meaning the UK government and Companies House online ID verification process has failed to identify you – you have a problem.

This blog contains the harsh, cold facts that company directors, PSCs, LLP members and Limited Partnership partners don’t know and don’t become aware of until it happens to them. They will only become aware of the issues when their attempts to verify their identity using the government/Companies House system - that was designed to do this one job - doesn’t work, doesn’t identify them and lets them down.

What happens when your ID verification fails?

When a company director or PSC tries to verify their identity using the Gov.UK One login and it fails, the system shows an error message informing them that their identify cannot be verified. 

The error screen is likely to look something like this:

When the “Contact the Gov.UK One Login team” button is clicked, you’ll be taken to a new screen with a reference code (which is the same as an error code) that should be quoted when you contact the Companies House helpline.

How to contact Companies House

You can contact Companies House using email, Webchat or telephone. 

The Companies House helpline telephone number is 0300 373 9020 or +44 208 629 0008 if you’re dialling from outside the UK.

The telephone helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm UK time. Callers should be prepared to wait for at least 20-30 minutes until an agent becomes available, depending on the time of day.

What the helpline can (and can’t) do

However, the stark reality is that if the government/Companies House ID verification system has failed to verify your identity and you’ve received an error message, there is nothing the helpline can do to help you. At this stage you’re very much on your own.

It’s an unbelievable but sadly true fact that the Companies House helpline cannot “reset” the system so users whose identities have failed to be verified can use the same or a different form of identity and try again.

Why other government verification options won’t work

If the Gov.UK One login has failed to verify your identity, the third ID verification route detailed on the government website – taking your details and ID document to a Post Office to be verified – will also be no longer available to you.

Your only option: using an ACSP

The Companies House helpline will advise users that have failed the Gov.UK One ID verification process that the only route available to them is to use a third party ACSP (Authorised Corporate Services Provider). This is an organisation such as a solicitor or an accountant that has been approved by Companies House or HMRC to provide corporate services on their behalf.

How directorverifications.com can help

directorverifications.com is a trading name of Finovium Limited. Finovium is a London-based accountancy firm that has been authorised to be an ACSP.

directorverifications.com has been set up to provide a straightforward experience for company directors and PSCs, etc, that are just looking for a simple, easy, quick and hassle-free service that will take care of the ID verification process for them. With this in mind, no one has to sign into their Gov.UK One account (or create one if they don’t already have one) to use the directorverifications.com service, nor does anyone have to download an app to use the service.

(The Gov.UK One route advises that the best way for users to verify their identities using the government route is to download their app). 

directorverifications.com has partnered with a specialist ID verification company that has all the required accreditations that allow it to verify IDs for directorverifications.com and Companies House. The process is quick and easy and only takes a couple of minutes. 

Step-by-step: How the verification process works

First, you’ll have to scan your passport or driving licence using your laptop, desktop PC camera or smartphone, then scan your face using the same camera. You should ensure you follow the simple instructions that are provided onscreen and ensure there’s plenty of light in the room. 

Once this has been done, that’s it! Your ID will be verified using AI but, on the very rare occasions this doesn’t manage to verify an identity, a human being will step in and take over the verification process. 

What happens after verification?

After this, directorverifications.com will upload the required information to the Companies House ACSP portal and you’ll then automatically receive your unique 11-digit personal identification code from Companies House directly into your email inbox.

It’s as simple and easy as that.