COMPANIES Part 1 Introductory provisions Citation, commencement and extent 1 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Protection and Disclosure of Personal Information (Amendment) Regulations 2025. 2 Except for Part 11, these Regulations come into force— a on 21st July 2025, if the Regulations are made before 21st July 2025, b on the day after the day on which the Regulations are made, if they are made on or after 21st July 2025. 3 Part 11 of these Regulations comes into force when section 167J of the Companies Act 2006 (required information about a director: individuals) comes fully into force. 4 These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Part 2 Application for protection of personal information on the companies register Application for protection of personal information 2 1 Where there is information of the type mentioned in paragraph (2) on the register in respect of an individual, the individual may apply for the registrar to make that information unavailable for public inspection . 2 The information is— a day of date of birth, b signature, and c in the case of an individual who is or was— i a director of a company, or ii a member of a supervisory organ, management organ or administrative organ of a UK Societas, that individual’s business occupation. 3 An individual may not make an application that, on registration, would cause the registrar, acting in accordance with regulation 4(1), to make any part of a copy of an order imposing a charge, instrument, deed or debenture delivered under— a Part 25 of the Companies Act 2006 (company charges), b Part 12 of the Companies Act 1985 (registration of charges) , or c Part 13 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (registration of charges) , unavailable for public inspection. 4 An individual may only make an application in respect of the information in paragraph (2)(c) where that information— a is contained in a document delivered to the registrar in which such information is required to be stated, and b in the case of a document having more than one part, is contained in a part of the document in which such information is required to be stated. 5 For the purposes of this regulation— “ signature ” does not include a printed name; “ UK Societas ” has the meaning given by regulation 3(1) of the European Public Limited-Liability Company Regulations 2004 . Contents of application 3 1 An application under regulation 2 must contain the following— a the applicant’s— i name, ii any former name, iii email address, iv date of birth; b a statement specifying what information the applicant wishes the registrar to make unavailable for public inspection (“ the specified information ”); c the name and registered number of the company in respect of which the specified information was placed on the register, and in respect of that company— i the name of the document in which the specified information appears on the register, ii where that document is a form, the number and title of that form, and iii the registration date of that document. 2 The registrar may request further information from the applicant for the purposes of enabling the registrar to locate the specified information on the register. 3 Where the registrar has requested information from the applicant under paragraph (2) , the duty in regulation 4 (1) will not apply to the registrar until the applicant has provided sufficient information to enable the registrar to locate the specified information. 4 In this Part— “ former name ” means a name— by which an individual was formerly known, and which was contained in a document delivered to the registrar in which the individual’s name was required to be stated; “ name ” means a person's forename and surname, except that in the case of— a peer, or an individual usually known by a title, the title may be stated instead of the person’s forename and surname. Effect of an application under regulation 2 4 1 Where the registrar registers an application delivered under regulation 2 , the registrar must make the specified information unavailable for public inspection on the register where the applicant has indicated in the application that it appears. 2 The registrar is not obliged to check any document or any part of a document, except those specified under regulation 3(1)(c), to ensure the absence of the specified information. Part 3 Amendments to the Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009 Amendments to the Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009 5 1 The Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009 are amended in accordance with this regulation. 2 In paragraph (2) of regulation 1 (citation, commencement and interpretation)— a for the definition of “former name” substitute— “ former name ” means a name— by which an individual was formerly known, and which was contained in a document delivered to the registrar in which the individual’s name was required to be stated; ; b for the definition of “name” substitute— “ name ” means a person's forename and surname, except that in the case of— a peer; or an individual usually known by a title, the title may be stated instead of the person’s forename and surname; . 3 For paragraphs (3) to (5) of regulation 3 (permitted disclosure by the registrar to credit reference agencies) substitute— 3 The registrar may decline to disclose protected information to a credit reference agency where the credit reference agency fails to— a deliver to the registrar— i such information or evidence in addition to the statement required by paragraph 10 of Schedule 2 (disclosure to a credit reference agency) as the registrar may direct; ii the information or evidence referred to in sub-paragraph (i) verified in such manner as the registrar may direct; iii any updated statement requested by the registrar under Part 2 of Schedule 2; b inform the registrar immediately of any change in respect of any statement delivered to the registrar pursuant to Schedule 2 or information or evidence provided for the purpose of enabling the registrar to determine whether to disclose protected information. . 4 In paragraph (2) of regulation 5 (application under section 243 by an individual)— a at the end of sub-paragraph (a)(vi) omit “or”; b after sub-paragraph (a)(vii) insert— viii the eligible Scottish partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registrable person under the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 ( S.I. 2017/694 ); ix the limited partnerships in relation to which that individual is, was, or proposes to become, a partner; x the limited partnerships in relation to which that individual is, was, or proposes to become, a registered officer of a general partner; or xi the limited partnerships in relation to which that individual is, was, or proposes to become, the named contact of a corporate managing officer of a general partner; . 5 After regulation 5(6) insert— 7 In this regulation— “ the 1907 Act ” means the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 (c. 24 (7 Edw 7)); “ corporate managing officer ” has the meaning given in section 3(1) of the 1907 Act; “ eligible Scottish partnership ” has the meaning given in regulation 3(2) of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017; “ general partner ” has the meaning given in section 3 of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); “ limited partnership ” has the meaning given in section 4 of the 1907 Act (definition and constitution of limited partnership); “ named contact ” has the meaning given in section 8K(5) of the 1907 Act (duty to maintain registered officer and named contacts); “ registered officer ” has the meaning given in section 8K(4) of the 1907 Act. . 6 Regulation 9 (application under section 1088 to make an address unavailable for public inspection by an individual) is amended as follows— a for paragraph (1) substitute— 1 Where an individual's usual residential address is on the register, that individual may make a section 1088 application in respect of that address. 1A An individual may not make an application under paragraph (1)— a in respect of a current address that a company is required to maintain on the register unless the address appears on the register as the current address of that individual, in which case the application may only relate to the address where it appears on the register as such; b that would, if registered, require the registrar to make unavailable for public inspection— i any part of a copy of an order imposing a charge, instrument, deed or debenture, or ii any address, or part thereof, forming part of a description of property or land subject to a charge, released from a charge, or that has ceased to form part of a company’s property or undertaking, in either case, delivered for the purposes of the charge provisions; or c where registration of that application would require the registrar to make unavailable for public inspection a company’s name or any part of it. 1B Where an address in respect of which an individual wishes to make an application under paragraph (1) was the registered office address of a company at the time of its dissolution, an application may not be made in relation to the address where it appears on the register as such until after the expiry of the period of 6 months beginning on the day of that company’s dissolution. 1C In this regulation, the “ charge provisions ” means any of the provisions contained in— a Part 25 of the Act (company charges); b Part 12 of the 1985 Act (registration of charges); c Part 13 of the 1986 Order (registration of charges). ; b after paragraph (2)(a) insert— aa the email address of the applicant; ; c for paragraph (2)(f) substitute— f where the address to which the application relates is a current address for the applicant that the company is required to maintain on the register, the service address which is to replace the usual residential address where it appears on the register as such; and ; 7 Omit regulation 11A. 8 In regulation 12, before paragraph (1) insert— A1 For the purposes of regulation 9, the registrar may request further information from the applicant for the purposes of enabling the registrar to locate the applicant’s usual residential address on the register where it appears in any document mentioned in regulation 9(2)(e). B1 Where the registrar has requested information from the applicant under paragraph (1A), the duties in regulation 13(2) to (4) will not apply to the registrar until the applicant has provided sufficient information to enable the registrar to locate the applicant’s usual residential address. . 9 In regulation 13— a for paragraph (3) substitute— 3 Where the specified address is a current address for the applicant that the company is required to maintain on the register, the registrar must make the specified address unavailable for public inspection where it appears on the register as such by replacing it with the service address provided by the applicant. ; b omit paragraph (6A). 10 For regulation 17 substitute— Disclosure by the registrar 17 The registrar may disclose a usual residential address which has been made unavailable for public inspection pursuant to an application made under regulation 9 to a person specified in section 1029(2) of the Act (application to the court for restoration to the register) if— a that address was the registered office address of a company at the time of its dissolution, and b the registrar is satisfied that the address is necessary for the person to make an application under section 1029(1) in respect of that company. . Part 4 Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 6 1 In section 243(4)(b) of the 2006 Act, as applied to limited liability partnerships by regulation 19 of the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (members’ residential addresses: protection from disclosure) (“ the 2009 Regulations ”), for “(matters relating to applications)” substitute “(matters relating to applications under section 243 and section 1088)” . 2 Section 1088 of the 2006 Act, as applied to limited liability partnerships by regulation 66 of the 2009 Regulations , is amended in accordance with paragraphs (3) to (6). 3 In the heading, for “address” substitute “personal information” . 4 In subsection (2)(b), for “(matters relating to applications)” substitute “(matters relating to applications under section 243 and section 1088)” . 5 In subsection (3), omit paragraph (h). 6 After subsection (3) insert— 4 Part 2 of the Protection and Disclosure of Personal Information (Amendment) Regulations 2025 ( S.I. 2025/874 ) (application for protection of personal information on the companies register) applies to LLPs with the following modifications— a for references to a “company” wherever it occurs, substitute “LLP” ; b in regulation 2— i in paragraph (2)(a), for the semi colon substitute “, and” ; ii in paragraph (2)(b) after “signature”, for “, and” substitute a full stop; iii omit paragraph (2)(c); iv omit paragraph (4); v in paragraph (5), omit the definition of “UK Societas”. . Part 5 Amendments to the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 Amendments to the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 7 Paragraph 20 of Schedule 1 to the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 is amended as follows— a omit sub-paragraph (1)(f); b for sub-paragraph (3) substitute— 3 Section 1088 applies to unregistered companies, modified to read as follows— Material to be made unavailable for public inspection 1088 1 The following provisions of the Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009 ( S.I. 2009/214 ) apply with respect to applications to the registrar to make an address on the register unavailable for public inspection, with the modification specified in subsection (2)— a Part 3 (applications to make address unavailable for public inspection), b Part 4 (matters relating to applications), so far as relating to such applications, and c any other provisions of the Regulations having effect for the purposes of those provisions. 2 Omit regulation 9(1A)(b) and (1C). 3 Part 2 of the Protection and Disclosure of Personal Information (Amendment) Regulations 2025 ( S.I. 2025/874 ) (application for protection of personal information on the companies register) applies to unregistered companies with the following modifications to regulation 2— a for paragraph (2)(c) substitute— c in the case of an individual who is or was a director of a company, that individual’s business occupation. ; b omit paragraph (3); c in paragraph (5), omit the definition of “UK Societas”. . . Part 6 Amendments to the Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016 Amendments to the Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016 8 1 The Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016 are amended in accordance with this regulation. 2 Paragraph (2)(a) of regulation 25 (application by an individual requiring the registrar to refrain from disclosing that individual's usual residential address information to a credit reference agency) is amended as follows— a omit “or” at the end of paragraph (viii); b after paragraph (ix) insert— x the eligible Scottish partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registrable person under the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 ( S.I. 2017/694 ); xi the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a partner; xii the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registered officer of a general partner; or xiii the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become the named contact of a corporate managing officer of a general partner; or . 3 After regulation 25(6) insert— 7 In this regulation— “ the 1907 Act ” means the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 (c. 24 (7 Edw 7)); “ corporate managing officer ” has the meaning given in section 3(1) of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); “ eligible Scottish partnership ” has the meaning given in regulation 3(2) of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017; “ general partner ” has the meaning given in section 3 of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); “ limited partnership ” has the meaning given in section 4 of the 1907 Act (definition and constitution of limited partnership); “ named contact ” has the meaning given in section 8K(5) of the 1907 Act (duty to maintain registered officer and named contacts); “ registered officer ” has the meaning given in section 8K(4) of the 1907 Act. . 4 In paragraph (1) of regulation 33 (circumstances where the registrar must omit secured information from material on the register available for public inspection)— a at the end of paragraph (a)(v), omit “and”; b at the end of sub-paragraph (b), for the full stop substitute “; and” ; c after sub-paragraph (b) insert— c the document in which that information is contained appears on the register in respect of the company mentioned in the application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable. . 5 Before paragraph (1) of regulation 34 (circumstances where the registrar must not disclose secured information) insert— A1 This regulation applies where the disclosure relates to the information as it appears on the register in respect of the company mentioned in an application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable. . Part 7 Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2016 Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2016 9 1 Paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2016 (application of the PSC Regulations) (“ the LLP PSC Regulations ”) is amended in accordance with this regulation. 2 Paragraph (2)(a) of regulation 25 of the 2016 Regulations (application by an individual requiring the registrar to refrain from disclosing that individual's usual residential address information to a credit reference agency) as applied to LLPs by paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the LLP PSC Regulations is amended as follows— a omit “or” at the end of paragraph (viii); b after paragraph (ix) insert— x the eligible Scottish partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registrable person under the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 ( S.I. 2017/694 ); xi the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a partner; xii the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registered officer of a general partner; or xiii the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become the named contact of a corporate managing officer of a general partner; or . 3 After regulation 25(6) of the 2016 Regulations as applied to LLPs by paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the LLP PSC Regulations insert— 7 In this regulation— “ the 1907 Act ” means the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 (c. 24 (7 Edw 7)); “ corporate managing officer ” has the meaning given in section 3(1) of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); “ eligible Scottish partnership ” has the meaning given in regulation 3(2) of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017; “ general partner ” has the meaning given in section 3 of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); “ limited partnership ”has the meaning given in section 4 of the 1907 Act (definition and constitution of limited partnership); “ named contact ” has the meaning given in section 8K(5) of the 1907 Act (duty to maintain registered officer and named contacts); “ registered officer ” has the meaning given in section 8K(4) of the 1907 Act. . 4 In paragraph (1) of regulation 33 of the 2016 Regulations (circumstances where the registrar must omit secured information from material on the register available for public inspection) as applied to LLPs by paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the LLP PSC Regulations— a at the end of paragraph (a)(v), omit “and”; b at the end of sub-paragraph (b), for the full stop substitute “; and” ; c after sub-paragraph (b) insert— c the document in which that information is contained appears on the register in respect of the LLP mentioned in an application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable. . 5 Before paragraph (1) of regulation 34 of the 2016 Regulations (circumstances where the registrar must not disclose secured information) as applied to LLPs by paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the LLP PSC Regulations insert— A1 This regulation applies where the disclosure relates to the information as it appears on the register in respect of the company mentioned in the application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable. . 6 In this regulation— “ the 2016 Regulations ” means the Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016; “ LLP ” means a limited liability partnership registered under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 . Part 8 Amendments to the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 Amendments to the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 10 1 The Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 are amended in accordance with this regulation. 2 In paragraph (2) of regulation 44 (circumstances in which the registrar must omit secured information from material on the register available for public inspection)— a at the end of paragraph (a)(v), omit “and”; b at the end of sub-paragraph (b), for the full stop substitute “; and” ; c after sub-paragraph (b) insert— c the document in which that information is contained appears on the register in respect of the eligible Scottish partnership mentioned in the application made under regulation 48, 49 or 50, as applicable. . 3 In regulation 45 (circumstances where the registrar must not disclose secured information), before paragraph (1) insert— A1 This regulation applies where the disclosure relates to the information as it appears on the register in respect of the eligible Scottish partnership mentioned in an application made under regulation 48, 49 or 50, as applicable. . Part 9 Amendments to the Community Interest Company Regulations 2005 Amendments to the Community Interest Company Regulations 2005 11 1 The Community Interest Company Regulations 2005 are amended as follows. 2 In regulation 2 (interpretation), after the definition of “asset-locked body” insert— “ authenticated ” means that the person required to authenticate the document in question has signed, or printed their name on, that document; . 3 In the following provisions, for “signed” substitute “authenticated” — a paragraph (1)(a) of regulation 11 (prescribed formation documents), b paragraph (1)(a) of regulation 12 (prescribed conversion documents), c paragraph (2) of regulation 14 (documents to be delivered to registrar of companies), and d paragraph (5) of regulation 38 (notice of appeal). Part 10 Amendments to the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008 Amendments to the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008 12 In article 2 of the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008 — a the existing text becomes paragraph (1); b in sub-paragraph (c) of that paragraph, for “signed” substitute “authenticated” ; c after that paragraph insert— 2 In this article, “ authenticated ” means that each director has signed, or printed their name on, the solvency statement. . Part 11 Amendments to the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 Amendments to the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 13 In paragraph (3)(a) of regulation 6 of the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 (particulars of the company) — a after paragraph (vi) insert “and” ; b omit paragraph (vii). Justin Madders Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Business and Trade 15th July 2025