Companies House: 10 Years of Open Data 🚨

A decade ago, Companies House made its full register freely accessible online. Today, it handles over 16.5 billion searches a year — a dramatic rise from just 1.3 billion in 2015–16.

Why it matters:

Open data now delivers £1–3 billion in annual value to the UK economy

Crucial for AML, KYC, and due diligence — particularly in financial and legal sectors

Backed by the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act: identity checks for directors and PSCs begin this autumn

What they’re saying:

“World-leading corporate transparency” – Transparency International UK

“Helping level the playing field” – Competition & Markets Minister

“Data valued at up to £3bn annually” – Companies House CDO

At Watchdog Services, we use Companies House data every day — monitoring firms on behalf of our users and alerting them to changes in directors, filings, or warning signs. It’s central to our mission of helping people stay informed, protected, and proactive.

Cheers to 10 years of transparency powering innovation, compliance, and smarter decision-making.

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