How to get information about a company director

Conducting a search on a company director is very easy. You can find a great deal of valuable information on UK directors using the Companies House ‘Find and update company information service’. This online search tool provides free access to publicly available data on the UK register of companies.

Whether you’re an existing or prospective client, employee, supplier, investor or business associate, knowing as much as possible about the director(s) in charge of any company you plan to deal with is beneficial. Such due diligence will help you make informed decisions and minimise the risk of doing business with the wrong people or company.

Searching for a company director at Companies House 

The Companies House ‘Find and update company information service’ provides real-time information relating to all companies incorporated in the UK, including details of the people who own and manage them. This service lets you view all publicly available data that Companies House holds on UK-registered companies and discloses on the UK register of companies. 

Follow these simple steps to access the Companies House search service to find information about a UK company director:

1. Visit GOV.UK’s ‘Search the register’ page at https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.
2. Enter the director’s name in the search box and click the magnifying glass icon. Alternatively, enter the company name or company registration number of any firm the director is associated with (this is usually the easier option).
3. Select the name of the relevant person or company from the list of results. You may have to scroll down until you find the right one. 
4. If you select a person’s name from the list of results, you will be presented with their key particulars – full name, date of birth, the total number of appointments (past and present), a list of companies in which these appointments are (or were) held, and the appointment/resignation dates. 
5. If you select a company name from the list of results, you will be taken to the company’s overview page on the public register. Click the’ People’ tab to find information on its director(s).

You can also view other information relating to a company, including its registered office address, annual accounts, previous directors, confirmation statements, and filing history since incorporation. This may help you determine whether a director is running the business well and fulfilling the company’s statutory filing obligations.

What director information can I find online?

The director information available through the Companies House search service includes the following:

• Full name
• Any former names (including maiden or married names) used for business purposes in the last 20 years
• Date of director’s appointment to a company
• Date of director’s resignation (if applicable)
• Country or state of usual residence
• Nationality
• Month and year of birth
• Business occupation (if any)
• Director’s service address details (past and present) – this is their official correspondence address, which may or may not be their home address and/or the company’s registered office
• Their current status in a company (active or resigned)
• All past and present appointments
• Filed documents relating to any changes made to a director’s details, including the dates on which such changes occurred
• Whether an individual is a disqualified company director

You can also determine from the public record whether a director is a person with significant control (PSC) – and, if so, the nature of their control in a company (i.e. their percentage of shareholdings and voting rights).

Director information that isn’t available to view

Companies House keeps certain details private, including a director’s day of birth and their usual residential address (unless used as a service address or registered office). These details are usually only available to credit reference agencies and specified public authorities (e.g. the police).

However, if the company chooses to keep its statutory register of directors at Companies House (rather than at its registered office), a director’s full date of birth and home address will be available to the public.

If a director applies to remove or suppress their personal details 

In certain circumstances, directors can ask Companies House to remove personal details from the public register and withhold certain information from credit reference agencies. 

Additionally, new privacy measures under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 mean that individuals can ask Companies House to suppress the following information from historical documents on the public register:

• Registered office address if it’s the individual’s home address
• Residential addresses (in most instances) when shown elsewhere on the register (e.g. as a registered office)
• Day of birth on documents filed before 10 October 2015
• Business occupation
• Signatures

Where an individual faces a risk of physical harm or violence as a result of their personal details appearing on the public register, they can apply to protect the following information from public view:

• Their name (or any previous names) 
• Any sensitive addresses
• All other personal details, including their partial date of birth and service addresses 

In all such instances, you won’t be able to access certain information about a company director on the Companies House register. 

How to search for a disqualified director

Companies House maintains a separate register with details of all directors disqualified (banned) by the courts, the Insolvency Service, and the Competition and Markets Authority. Any person listed on the Companies House disqualified directors register cannot be:

• A director of any UK-registered company
• A director of an overseas company that has connections with the UK
• Involved in forming, marketing, or running a company (this includes acting as company secretary)

To search for a disqualified director, go to the Companies House disqualified directors register, enter the individual’s name, and search through the list of results. 

Information available on disqualified directors

Available information on a current disqualified company director includes the following, where applicable:

• Full name
• Last registered address
• Full date of birth
• Nationality
• The date on which the disqualification began
• The date on which the disqualification ends
• Number of disqualifications they’ve had
• Reason for the director’s disqualification 
• Names of companies relevant to the disqualification
• Disqualifying court
• Case reference number
• Whether they have the court’s permission to continue to act as a director
• Method of disqualification (i.e. by court order or by disqualification undertaking).

The details of a disqualified director remain on the register for the entire duration of their ban, which could be up to 15 years. When the disqualification ends, the director’s details are automatically removed.

Obtaining full details of why a director was disqualified

The Insolvency Service provides full details of why an individual was disqualified. If the ban occurred in England, Scotland, or Wales within the past three months, you can view the information using the Insolvency Service online service. Otherwise, you can contact [email protected].

If the ban occurred in Northern Ireland, you need to contact the Insolvency Service in Northern Ireland. 

You can also search the bankruptcy and insolvency register to find information on a person with a bankruptcy order (known as an ‘undischarged bankrupt’), a debt relief order, or bankruptcy restrictions. These individuals are banned from being company directors.

Why search for information on a company director?

Directors usually have significant power and control over a company’s day-to-day operations and finances. This level of influence has a profound impact on a company’s overall performance and long-term viability, affecting everything from employee culture and staff turnover to the efficiency, credibility, and solvency of the business.

The role and responsibilities of a company director What’s the difference between company shareholders and directors? When is a company director liable for debt?

Searching for information on a company director has the potential to provide valuable insight into the individual and any businesses they manage. For example:

• Checking a person’s name, address, and date of birth can help to verify that a director is who they say they are.
• By searching the register of disqualified officers, you can check that an individual is not acting as a company director whilst banned from doing so.
• Identifying whether a director has associations with phoenix companies.
• An individual holding multiple director appointments may be stretched too thin and unable to devote enough time to each business. 
• A director with numerous resignations may be cause for concern. Consider finding out more about the companies they managed – did the businesses fail or thrive during the director’s appointment?
• A company with a high turnover of directors is noteworthy – it may indicate that the business is facing difficulties. 
• Companies with overdue filings (e.g. annual accounts or confirmation statements) and late filing penalty notices can suggest poor management.

Whether you’re a prospective client, investor, supplier, or employee, it’s always advisable to do your due diligence on a company and its director(s). This can help you spot any red flags and minimise risk.

In addition to conducting a search on the public registers we’ve discussed, consider checking the director’s LinkedIn profile and social media. It’s also worthwhile performing a general internet search on the director and any companies they are (or have been) associated with.

Thanks for reading

We hope you’ve found this post helpful. Please comment below if you have any questions.

Explore the Quality Company Formations Blog for more limited company guidance and general business advice.