Statutory company records requirements in the United Kingdom
UK companies maintain statutory registers and other records under the Companies Act 2006, including the register of members (s. 113), register of directors (s. 162), and PSC register (Part 21A). Registers are kept at the registered office or the SAIL (Single Alternative Inspection Location).
| CA 2006 s. 113 | Register of members |
|---|---|
| CA 2006 s. 162 | Register of directors |
| CA 2006 Part 21A | PSC register (people with significant control) |
| CA 2006 s. 1136 | Records location (registered office or SAIL) |
| CA 2006 s. 116 | Public inspection of register of members |
| Penalties | Daily default fines under s. 113(8) and elsewhere |
- UK companies maintain statutory registers under specific sections of CA 2006 (s. 113, 162, 165, 275, etc.)
- Register of members is open to public inspection on payment of a fee (s. 116)
- PSC register required since 2016 under Part 21A; tracks people with significant control (>25%)
- Records kept at the registered office or at the SAIL (Single Alternative Inspection Location)
- Daily default fines apply for failure to maintain registers
The UK statutory register regime
The UK Companies Act 2006 requires every UK company to maintain a series of distinct statutory registers, each governed by its own section. The principal registers are: the register of members (s. 113), the register of directors (s. 162), the register of directors' residential addresses (s. 165), the register of secretaries (s. 275), and the PSC register (Part 21A). Each register has its own requirements for content, format, and accessibility.
The PSC register (Part 21A)
The People with Significant Control (PSC) register was added to the UK Companies Act in 2016 as part of the UK's beneficial-ownership transparency framework. The PSC register tracks individuals who hold more than 25% of the company's shares or voting rights, or who otherwise exercise significant control. Unlike the Canadian ISC register, the UK PSC register information is filed with Companies House and is part of the public corporate record (subject to limited address-protection rules).
Public inspection of the register of members
The UK register of members is open to public inspection under CA 2006 s. 116 on payment of a fee. Any person can request to inspect the register or obtain a copy, though the requestor must state the purpose of the request and the company can refuse improper-purpose requests (with court oversight). This public-access regime is one of the most transparent in the common-law world, contrasting with the closed registers in most US states and most Canadian provinces.
What's distinctive about the UK
The UK regime is the most rigorous and transparent in the common-law world. Registers are detailed (multiple distinct registers, each with specific requirements), publicly accessible (members register, PSC register filed publicly), and actively enforced (daily default fines for failure to maintain). The SAIL (Single Alternative Inspection Location) mechanism allows registers to be kept at one location and inspected there, but the registered office address must still be filed publicly. UK companies that operate internationally often find the UK transparency requirements meaningfully stricter than equivalents elsewhere.
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