How to check if a UK company is legitimate
About to pay a supplier, take on a client, accept a job offer or hand over your data? A few minutes on the official record tells you whether a UK company is real, active and safe to deal with. Here’s exactly what to check, in order — and the red flags that should make you stop.
Registering a UK company takes minutes and costs very little, so the fact that a business is “registered” proves almost nothing on its own. Real legitimacy is about the fuller picture — how long it has existed, who is behind it, whether it files on time, and whether its details match what you’ve been told. Every one of these checks is free and public, because UK companies must file this information at Companies House, the official register.
Step 1 — Confirm the company actually exists (and is active)
Start with the legal name and, ideally, the company number — the unique 8-character code (like 12345678, or an SC/NI prefix for Scotland and Northern Ireland). Look it up and check:
- Status is “Active”. “Dissolved”, “liquidation” or “proposal to strike off” means you should stop and ask questions.
- The details match. The registered name, number and address should line up with the invoice, website and bank details you were given. A mismatch — for example an invoice from a company whose registered name is completely different — is a classic fraud sign.
- The incorporation date. A company set up last week that’s asking for a large upfront payment deserves extra caution.
Step 2 — Check who is really behind it
A legitimate business has real, named people behind it. Two records show them:
- Directors & officers — who runs the company day to day.
- Owners (PSC) — the “persons with significant control” who ultimately own or control more than 25% of the shares or votes. A blank or “no PSC” record on a company that clearly has an owner is a flag.
On Verivello you can just ask “Who owns and runs [company]?” and it reads both registers for you. Being able to name the people behind a business — and seeing they aren’t tied to a string of failed companies — is one of the strongest legitimacy signals there is.
Step 3 — Check it files on time and is financially sound
Companies that are being run properly keep up with their filings. Check:
- Accounts — are they filed, and reasonably up to date? Persistently overdue accounts suggest a business in trouble or not being managed.
- Confirmation statement — the annual “we’re still here and our details are correct” filing. Long overdue is a warning.
- Insolvency & charges — a history of insolvency, or heavy secured debt (charges) registered against the company, is worth understanding before you commit.
Step 4 — Watch for these red flags
- Status is dissolved or proposal to strike off.
- No verifiable directors or owner, or people who won’t appear anywhere else.
- Overdue accounts or confirmation statements.
- Very new company demanding large upfront or “urgent” payment.
- Insolvency history or a disqualified director.
- Hundreds of companies registered at the same address.
- Name, number or bank details that don’t match the company record.
Step 5 — Extra checks for suppliers & financial firms
- VAT — verify any VAT number on GOV.UK / HMRC. A supplier hiding its VAT number is a red flag.
- FCA — if it deals with money, loans, insurance or investments, check it’s on the Financial Conduct Authority register.
- Sanctions — for higher-value deals, check the business and its owners aren’t on a sanctions list.
- A real address & contact — a genuine business has a verifiable address and contact details, not just a PO box or a free email.
The fastest way to run all of these checks
You can do every check above by hand across Companies House, HMRC and the FCA — or you can ask Verivello. Type a plain-English question like “Is [company] legitimate and safe to deal with?” and it pulls the official record together — status, directors, owners, accounts, red flags — and answers with its sources, in seconds. It’s free to start.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a UK company is legitimate?
Check it on Companies House, the official public register. A legitimate company will be registered with an "Active" status, a real company number, named directors, a declared owner (PSC), a genuine registered office, and a history of filing its accounts and confirmation statements on time. If those details are missing, don't match what the company told you, or the company is dissolved or being struck off, treat it as a serious warning sign.
What are the red flags of a fake or risky company?
The main red flags are: a "dissolved" or "proposal to strike off" status; no verifiable directors or a blank ownership (PSC) record; persistently overdue accounts or confirmation statements; a very recent incorporation date paired with large upfront payment demands; insolvency history or a disqualified director; dozens or hundreds of unrelated companies registered at the same address; and a company name or number that doesn't match the website, invoice or bank details you were given.
How can I check a company before paying them?
Before you pay, confirm the exact legal name and company number, check the status is "Active", make sure the registered office and directors are real, and check the accounts and filing history for signs of trouble. For a supplier, also verify their VAT number with HMRC. On Verivello you can just ask "Is [company] safe to deal with?" and it runs these checks against the official record and answers with sources.
Is a company legitimate just because it's registered at Companies House?
Registration alone isn't proof of legitimacy — anyone can register a UK company in minutes for a small fee, so a fresh registration means very little on its own. What matters is the fuller picture: how long it has existed, whether it files on time, whether real people are named as directors and owners, whether it has ever been insolvent, and whether its details match the ones you've been given. Registration is the starting point of due diligence, not the end of it.
How do I check if a company is registered for VAT?
Use the UK government's "Check a UK VAT number" service on GOV.UK / HMRC — enter the VAT number and it confirms whether it is valid and the registered business name. A legitimate VAT-registered business has no reason to hide its VAT number, so a supplier refusing to provide one is itself a red flag.
Should I be worried if a company has no online reviews?
Not necessarily — many perfectly legitimate small businesses have few or no reviews. Reviews are a weak signal that's easy to fake in either direction. The official record is far more reliable: a company that has traded for years, files its accounts, and has named, verifiable people behind it is a much stronger sign of legitimacy than a pile of five-star reviews.