How to Verify a UK Company Is Legitimate

The Verification Checklist

When dealing with a new supplier, client or business partner, run through these checks to verify they are who they claim to be.

1. Confirm They Exist on Companies House

Search for the company at Companies House. If a company claims to be a UK limited company, it must appear on the register. If it doesn't, it either:

• Doesn't exist as a limited company
• Is trading under a name different from its registered name
• Has been dissolved or struck off

Check that the company number matches what they've given you. Fraudsters sometimes use real company names but provide a different company number to muddy the trail.

2. Check the Company Status

The status should be Active. Be cautious if the status shows:

• Dissolved - the company no longer exists
• Liquidation - the company is being wound up
• In Administration - an insolvency practitioner is running it
• Proposal to Strike Off - Companies House is planning to remove it from the register

3. Verify the Incorporation Date

Match the company's age against their claims. A company claiming "20 years of experience" but incorporated last year should raise questions. Conversely, a very new company (incorporated within the last few months) carries inherently higher risk simply because there's less track record.

4. Check the Registered Address

Is the address a genuine business premises? Some checks you can do:

• Search the address on Google Maps - is it an office building, a residential property, or a virtual office provider?
• Check if many companies share the address - company formation agents register hundreds of companies at the same address
• Match the address against the company's claimed location - a company claiming to be "London-based" with a registered address in a different city may be using a virtual office

Note: The registered address is not necessarily where the company operates. Many legitimate companies use their accountant's address or a formation agent's address.

5. Review the Directors

• Do the directors' names match who you're dealing with?
• Check the disqualified directors register for any matches
• Search for the directors' names to find their other company involvements

6. Check Filing Compliance

A well-run, legitimate company keeps its filings up to date. Check:

• Are accounts filed on time? - overdue accounts is a yellow flag
• Is the confirmation statement current? - it should be renewed annually
• Have there been any compulsory strike-off actions? - these happen when Companies House suspects the company isn't operating

7. Review the Accounts

Even abbreviated accounts can reveal:

• Net assets - negative net assets mean liabilities exceed assets
• Cash at bank - very low cash suggests the company may struggle to pay suppliers
• Creditors - high creditors relative to debtors indicates cash flow pressure

8. Additional External Checks

For higher-risk situations, consider:

• VAT registration check - verify their VAT number at HMRC
• ICO registration - check the Information Commissioner's Office register for data protection registration
• Professional body membership - if they claim to be FCA regulated, SRA registered, etc., verify directly with that body
• Website domain age - use WHOIS to check when their domain was registered

Red Flags Summary

Most individual flags can have innocent explanations. It's the pattern that matters - multiple flags together should prompt further investigation.