{"id":10408,"date":"2023-07-26T17:19:55","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T16:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/?p=10408"},"modified":"2024-02-15T09:06:54","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T09:06:54","slug":"hide-identity-of-company-shareholder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/hide-identity-of-company-shareholder\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I hide the identity of a company shareholder?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The shareholder of a private company limited by shares is the owner of the business. A company can be formed with one shareholder in place or with multiple shareholders. But can a company be formed and then maintained with the identity of its shareholder being hidden? Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n

Shareholder identity cannot be hidden<\/h3>\n

Generally speaking, you cannot hide the identity of a company shareholder from the Companies House public register<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If an individual (or corporate entity) is named as a shareholder when a company is formed, or entered on a confirmation statement post-formation, this information will appear on the public register.<\/p>\n

The Companies House public register<\/h3>\n

As soon as a company is registered at Companies House, certain information about that company is placed on the register. This includes details about the shareholders, such as their name, address, and information on the shares that they hold within the company (including class, number, currency, nominal value, and whether they\u2019re paid or unpaid).<\/p>\n

\n \n \"FREE\n \"FREE\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n

Whilst this information isn\u2019t quite as easy to access on the register as information on the company director(s) or people with significant control (PSCs), it can be found by locating the company\u2019s incorporation documents.<\/p>\n

A guide to company officers – duties and responsibilities<\/span><\/a>\n How to file a confirmation statement<\/span><\/a>\n People with significant control (PSCs) – who are they and what do they do?<\/span><\/a>\n <\/p>\n

If the company had made changes to its shareholding situation since incorporation, the updated shareholder information can be found in the confirmation statement (if one has been filed).<\/p>\n

If the shareholder is a person with significant control<\/h3>\n

A person with significant control is the individual who holds paramount power within the company. In the majority of cases, a shareholder will also be a person with significant control.<\/p>\n

When a company is formed (and when new people are added as PSCs), PSC information such as the name, correspondence address, date of birth, and nationality is published on the public register. This information is easy to access via the \u2018People\u2019 tab on a company\u2019s main profile page.<\/p>\n

As set out by Companies House<\/a>, in certain circumstances it is possible to protect a PSC\u2019s information from the public register, if the person in question:<\/p>\n