Overview
If a Person with Significant Control (PSC) has died, or is seriously ill or otherwise incapacitated, they will not be able to complete Companies House identity verification or provide a personal code. This guide explains how to notify Companies House and what happens to the PSC's record in either situation.
Note: this guide is for PSCs only. If a director is unable to complete identity verification for either of these reasons, the process is different — they should simply resign as director; see Can a Director Resign Without Completing Identity Verification?
Key Points
-
The PSC stays on the register for now:
A PSC in this situation remains on the Companies House register until the situation is resolved (e.g. grant of probate/letters of administration, or the individual recovers or becomes able to complete verification) and a formal PSC change can be filed. Do not attempt to remove them before then — see Overview of the PSC Requirements. -
Notify Companies House directly:
The company (or its agent) should email enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk, explaining the situation — either that the PSC has died and the estate has not yet been settled, or that the PSC is seriously ill or incapacitated and unable to complete identity verification — so no change notification can be filed and the PSC cannot verify their identity in the meantime. -
A marker is placed on the record:
Once notified, Companies House places a marker on the PSC's verification record. This stops any further chasers or reminder emails being sent for that individual — see When are Personal Code Reminder Emails Sent? -
Once the situation is resolved:
For a deceased PSC, the PSC change can then be filed with Companies House in the usual way once probate or letters of administration are received — if they also held shares, see How do I transfer shares to an Executor? For a seriously ill or incapacitated PSC, Companies House will advise on next steps once you've notified them, and verification can be completed (or an alternative PSC change filed) once they're able to.
Best Practice
- Notify Companies House as soon as possible, so reminders are stopped promptly.
- Keep a note of when the situation is expected to be resolved (e.g. probate granted, or the PSC's expected recovery), so the record can be updated as soon as possible.
- If you're unsure how this applies to your circumstances, contact Inform Direct Support or take professional advice.
Summary Table
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| PSC has died, estate not yet settled | Email enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk; the PSC remains on the register; reminders stop once Companies House place a marker on the record |
| PSC is seriously ill or incapacitated and cannot complete verification | Email enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk explaining the situation; Companies House can place a marker to pause reminders while this is resolved |
| Grant of probate / letters of administration received, or PSC able to verify again | File the PSC change (and add any new PSC) with Companies House in the usual way |
| Director (not PSC) cannot complete verification for either reason | This guide doesn't apply — the director should resign instead, see Can a Director Resign Without Completing Identity Verification? |
Keywords:
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