Companies in the UK are being urged to review their details following a recent technical issue affecting the Companies House WebFiling system.
The issue, which has now been resolved, meant that some logged-in users may have been able to view – and in some cases edit – information belonging to other companies without authorisation. This potentially included sensitive data such as directors’ residential addresses, dates of birth and email addresses.
Companies House confirmed that the issue arose following an update to its WebFiling service in October 2025. The flaw was identified last week, and the system was temporarily taken offline while investigations were carried out. The service has since been restored.
At this stage, Companies House has stated that passwords and identity verification documents were not compromised, and previously filed documents could not be altered. However, an investigation is ongoing to determine whether any data was accessed or amended without permission.
Companies House has also confirmed that the incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). They are currently analysing their data and have stated that, if any unauthorised access or changes are identified, firm action will be taken. The organisation has acknowledged that the incident may have caused concern and has issued an apology, reiterating that it takes responsibility to protect data extremely seriously and is committed to supporting those affected and maintaining trust in its services.
What should businesses do now?
As a precaution, companies should:
- Review their Companies House records to ensure all information is accurate and up to date;
- Check for any unexpected changes to director details or company filings; and
- Monitor communications from Companies House for further updates or instructions.
Companies House also recommends signing up to its free Follow service. This sends an instant email alert whenever a document is filed for any company you choose to follow – helping you to stay informed and quickly spot anything unexpected.
If you identify anything unusual, you should raise this directly with Companies House. While there is currently no evidence of widespread misuse, this incident highlights the importance of regularly reviewing your company’s public records and maintaining good governance over statutory filings.
If you have any questions or would like any assistance reviewing your company details, please get in touch with your usual M+A Partners’ contact, who will be happy to help.
