Foreign Companies: Ownership
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many overseas entities which did not comply with beneficial ownership were identified in 2026 to date; how many penalties for non compliance were issued; and how many of those penalties were a) financial sanctions, b) disqualification and c) criminal sanctions.
Answered by Blair McDougall
The legislation requires overseas entities to provide details of their managing officers to Companies House when they are unable to identify their beneficial owners. An entity is unable to register or file an update without disclosing this information.
Companies House has not issued any penalties for beneficial ownership non-compliance since the Register of Overseas Entities commenced.
Where an entity has failed in its statutory obligation to register, Companies House has taken enforcement action by issuing penalties for non‑compliance. As of 31 March 2026, 445 penalties have been issued.
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