doodledirector00WHAT THE RULES SAY
Being a director is a legal role, not just a job title.
UK law sets out seven general duties for every company director, and since 18 November 2025 new directors must verify their identity with Companies House. Here is what GOV.UK says the role involves.
Check a deadline01Principles
02THE SHORT ANSWER
Hiring an accountant does not hand these over.
GOV.UK says the responsibility stays with you.
DUTIES
The Companies Act 2006 sets out seven duties, from promoting the company's success to avoiding conflicts of interest. GOV.UK says they apply even to inactive directors.
See the dutiesIDENTITY
Since 18 November 2025, new directors must verify their identity with Companies House. Existing directors were given a 12-month transition period.
How it worksFILING
A private company's annual accounts are due 9 months after its financial year ends, and late filing brings an automatic penalty.
Check a penalty03A QUICK DEADLINE CHECK
Pick how late a private limited company's accounts reach Companies House to see the penalty GOV.UK lists. The bar shows how serious the delay is.
Penalties for private limited companies, from GOV.UK. Public companies have different penalties. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
04TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
One figure on the size of the register,
one on how many people verified early.
5.5m
Companies on the UK register, end of June 2026
Companies House counted 5,516,377 companies on the register at the end of June 2026. In April to June 2026 there were 192,287 incorporations and 156,515 companies dissolved.
THE REGISTER · COMPANIES HOUSE
1.5m+
People verified before it became compulsory
When identity verification became compulsory on 18 November 2025, more than 1.5 million people had already verified since the voluntary service opened in April 2025.
IDENTITY · GOV.UK
The government says identity verification makes it harder to set up companies or appoint directors using fake or stolen identities.
05THE SEVEN DUTIES, GROUPED
GOV.UK lists seven duties from the Companies Act 2006. Here they are in four plain groups.
Follow the company's constitution and articles of association, and use your own independent judgement.
Consider long-term consequences, employees, business relationships, the community and environment, the company's reputation, and fairness between members.
Act with the care, skill and diligence expected of someone with your knowledge and experience.
Avoid conflicts of interest, turn down third-party benefits offered because you are a director, and disclose any personal benefit from a company transaction.
06IDENTITY VERIFICATION
Directors can verify directly with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login, which is free and usually takes minutes using a passport, a driving licence or security questions, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.
Once verified, you receive a personal code and give it in a statement for each company role you hold. Existing directors confirm theirs with the company's next confirmation statement. Missing the deadline is an offence.
07Questions
At least 16. Section 157 of the Companies Act 2006 says a person may not be appointed a director unless they have reached 16, and an appointment that breaks this rule is void.
Under section 154 of the Companies Act 2006, a private company must have at least one director and a public company at least two.
Yes. GOV.UK says you can hire someone to help, but you remain legally responsible for the company's records, accounts and performance.
Yes. Since 18 November 2025, new directors must verify their identity with Companies House, and existing directors have a 12-month transition period, confirming it with their next confirmation statement.
Private limited companies pay an automatic penalty from £150 for up to a month late to £1,500 for more than six months, doubled if accounts are late 2 years in a row.
08Sources
ABOUT THIS NAME
doodledirector.com is part of the DoodleSale portfolio. It isn't in an auction right now, but you can ask about leasing it.
