How to find out who owns a UK company
The people who run a company aren’t always the people who own it. Here’s how to find the real owner of any UK company for free — using the official ownership record — and what to do when the ownership is layered behind other companies.
Owner, director or shareholder — which are you looking for?
Three different roles get confused. Knowing the difference tells you which record to read:
- Directors run the company day to day. They’re on the officers list.
- Shareholders hold shares. Their names are public in the confirmation statement (home addresses are not).
- Owners (PSCs) ultimately own or control the company — more than 25% of it. They’re on the PSC register, and this is usually what people mean by “the owner”.
The PSC register: the direct route to the owner
Since 2016, every UK company must declare its Persons with Significant Control. Someone is a PSC if they meet any of these:
- Holds more than 25% of the shares;
- Holds more than 25% of the voting rights;
- Has the right to appoint or remove most of the board;
- Otherwise exercises significant influence or control.
For each PSC you can see their name, the month and year of birth, nationality, country of residence, and the nature of their control (for example “owns 75–100% of shares”). That’s enough to know who really stands behind a business.
When ownership is layered or overseas
Larger groups own their trading companies through a chain: the trading company is owned by a UK holding company, which may be owned by an overseas parent. Each layer’s PSC register points you one step up. Follow the chain until you reach a named individual — the ultimate beneficial owner. A trading company with an empty PSC record, or one that keeps declaring “details not yet confirmed”, is worth questioning.
The fastest way
Reading and climbing an ownership chain by hand takes several look-ups. Instead, ask Verivello “Who owns [company]?” — it reads the PSC register, and can follow the chain up through parent companies, answering with its sources. Start free on the company search, or open any company’s profile from the directory to see its owners at a glance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out who owns a UK company?
Look at the company’s "persons with significant control" (PSC) on the Companies House register — this shows anyone who ultimately owns or controls more than 25% of the shares or voting rights. It’s free and public. On Verivello you can simply ask "Who owns [company]?" and it reads the PSC register and answers with the source.
What is a PSC?
A Person with Significant Control is anyone who owns or controls a UK company. Someone is a PSC if they hold more than 25% of the shares, hold more than 25% of the voting rights, have the right to appoint or remove most of the board, or otherwise exercise significant influence or control. Companies must declare their PSCs by law, and the register has been in force since 2016.
Is the owner the same as the director?
Not necessarily. Directors run the company day to day; owners (PSCs / shareholders) hold it. In a small business the same person is often both, but in larger companies the owner can be a completely separate person, a holding company, or an overseas parent. Always check the PSC register, not just the director list, to find the real owner.
Are shareholders public in the UK?
Shareholder names are public — they appear in the company’s confirmation statement — but their home addresses are not shown. Only PSCs (owners of more than 25%) appear on the separate, more prominent PSC register. So a small shareholder may be named without being a PSC.
Can a company hide who owns it?
It’s hard to fully hide ownership because declaring PSCs is a legal requirement, but ownership can be layered — the PSC may itself be another company (a "relevant legal entity"), often a holding company or an overseas parent. You then follow the chain up to find the ultimate individual owner. A completely blank PSC record on a trading company is a red flag worth questioning.
How do I find the owner if the PSC is another company?
When the PSC is a company rather than a person, look that parent company up in turn and read its PSC register, and repeat until you reach an individual (the "ultimate beneficial owner"). Verivello can follow this for you — ask about the parent company by name or number to keep climbing the ownership chain.