On top of this, the government website states that there are up to 100 cases of corporate identity theft a month. To help tackle these issues, Companies House introduced the PROOF service.<\/p>\n
In this post, we\u2019ll explain what the PROOF service is and how it protects UK businesses. If you haven\u2019t already, we will also let you know how to register for PROOF and keep your company secure from unauthorised changes.<\/p>\n
What is PROOF?<\/h3>\n
PROOF is a free scheme run by Companies House that provides UK-based limited companies and LLPs with added protection when filing certain documents. It is legally backed by section 1070 (agreement for delivery by electronic means) of the Companies Act 2006<\/a>, designed to safeguard company owners from corporate identity theft. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The system is enforced by preventing the filing of certain paper forms. For limited companies, these include:<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that confirmation statements are not <\/b>covered by the protected online filing service. Also, fewer forms are protected for limited liability partnerships. You can find a complete list of forms based on company type on the government website<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can continue to submit all other forms on paper if you\u2019re registered for the scheme.<\/p>\n If you submit any of these on paper, they will be rejected. Instead, they must be formally filed via WebFiling<\/a>. This is the Companies House online portal that allows companies to file forms electronically, make changes to their records, and sign up for email alerts when certain documents are due.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n WebFiling is a far more secure way of sharing your company\u2019s details with Companies House, as it requires your company authentication code to sign in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The authentication code is a 6-digit code made up of a mixture of numbers and letters, and it is unique to your company. This is a critical safety measure that acts as a director\u2019s electronic signature. Without this code, you cannot access your company\u2019s details.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Your code is automatically issued at incorporation. If you register your company directly with Companies House, it is posted to your registered office address. If you form your company through us, you can find it in your Quality Company Formations account<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the event of a lost or forgotten code, you can request a reminder via WebFiling. Simply sign in<\/a> (or register if you haven\u2019t already) and click on \u2018Request an authentication code\u2019. You\u2019ll be asked for your company registration number, after which you can select \u2018request code\u2019. It should then be posted to your active officer\u2019s home address <\/b>(as opposed to your registered address) within 5 working days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re part of the protected online filing scheme and need to file one of the above forms on paper, you will need to provide a legitimate reason using a paper consent form (PR03). This form should only<\/b> be used in special circumstances and is, therefore, unavailable to download freely online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To obtain form PR03, you need to call the Companies House contact centre on 0303 1234500 for further guidance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You should treat this form as a last resort – only if absolutely necessary. If you repeatedly file a PR03, you could be removed from the PROOF service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First, you should check that you are eligible to join. Most UK companies and LLPs can go ahead and sign up, however, you may not be able to register if there is an open internal dispute between your registered officers. You can only sign up once this has been resolved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To join the PROOF scheme, you need a WebFiling account. Simply register or log into your existing account. Once you\u2019ve signed in, you\u2019ll see a \u2018Join PROOF\u2019 button at the top of the overview screen. Select this option and accept the terms and conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, click on \u2018Protect this company\u2019. You\u2019ll then get an email to confirm your application. You\u2019ll also notice the padlock on the overview screen is now locked, meaning that your company is protected by PROOF.<\/p>\n For more guidance on registering, take a look at the Companies House demo video<\/a>.<\/p>\n The PROOF service is free and optional. If you wish to opt-out at any point, you can do so quickly and easily through your WebFiing account.<\/p>\n When you log in, select the \u2018Leave PROOF\u2019 button at the top of the overview screen. You\u2019ll receive an email to confirm that you are no longer part of the scheme, and the padlock will show as unlocked.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that if you opt-out, your company or LLP could be at risk of fraudulent activity, and you will not be protected in the event of a scam through unauthorised filings. To keep your company records safe, it is recommended to remain subscribed to the service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In some instances, Companies House may automatically remove you from the protected online filing service. For example, if you file too many PR03 forms, as explained above.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019ll be notified in writing up to 3 months in advance to let you know that your agreement with the service is being terminated. If you are automatically removed, you will not be able to sign up for PROOF in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For complete guidance, visit the PROOF terms and conditions<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As well as joining PROOF, you can take additional steps to keep your company\u2019s information secure. For example, why not try \u2018Follow\u2019? This is another free service offered by Companies House that lets you set up instant email alerts for company transactions.<\/p>\n When you sign in to your Companies House account, you can search the register<\/a> for your company. Then, select \u2018follow this company\u2019.<\/p>\n This will notify you when documents have been filed and when they have been accepted. You can also view your filing history and download copies of transactions for free, to cross-check against your own data and make sure everything adds up.<\/p>\n Another way to protect your company is to keep your authentication code safe at all times. Think of it like your bank account PIN. It\u2019s strongly advised that you do not share it with anyone, unless they are trusted to make company filings on your behalf.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, it shouldn\u2019t be written down on a piece of paper that could be misplaced. Instead, try an encrypted notes app like Apple Notes<\/a> or Evernote<\/a> that will keep your code password-protected.<\/p>\n Finally, you should change your code if it becomes known by someone you don\u2019t trust, or a person who is no longer authorised to make your filings. If this is the case, you should change it to a new mixture of letters and numbers.<\/p>\n Try to avoid memorable combinations (e.g. your date of birth) that might be easy to guess. Ideally, your code should be random. However, this can be tricky to come up with or remember, so apps like LastPass<\/a> are excellent for suggesting random passwords based on your requirements and keeping them safely stored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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\r\n ![\"Revolut](\"https:\/\/cdn-brand.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/assets\/images\/revolut_desktop.png\"\r\n)
\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \nWebFiling authentication codes explained<\/h3>\n
If you need to make a paper filing<\/h3>\n
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\r\n ![\"Get](\"https:\/\/cdn-brand.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/assets\/images\/hubspot_desktop.png\"\r\n)
\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \nHow to register<\/h3>\n
How to opt-out<\/h3>\n
When you could be removed from PROOF<\/h3>\n
Additional security measures<\/h3>\n
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\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \nIf you\u2019ve spotted a scam<\/h3>\n