Privacy and Data Security in Companies House Director Identity Verification: Why Many Prefer ACSPs

7 Jan

With the full rollout of mandatory director identity verification under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, many UK company directors have raised valid concerns about privacy—particularly around biometric data (like facial scans) and central government storage via GOV.UK One Login.

These worries, widely discussed online and in business forums, centre on potential risks of data breaches, misuse, or over-centralisation. While no major breaches of verification data have been reported as of January 2026, and the system is GDPR-compliant, many directors seek alternatives that minimise exposure.

The good news? You have a choice. Using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) like ACSP.VIP avoids GOV.UK One Login entirely, offering greater privacy and flexibility.

Key Privacy Differences: Direct Verification vs. ACSP Route

Direct Verification (via GOV.UK One Login)

Requires uploading photo ID and taking a selfie for biometric facial matching.
Biometric data is processed and stored in central government systems.
Verification details are held securely by Companies House (non-public), but involve broader government infrastructure.
Designed to high security standards, with data used only for compliance and fraud prevention.

ACSP Verification (e.g., via ACSP.VIP)

No biometrics submitted to government — skip One Login and its facial scans completely.
Provide documents directly to us via our secure, encrypted upload.
We conduct checks to the same official anti-money laundering standards.
Only minimal data sent to Companies House: your name, date of birth, address, email (for your personal code), verification date, and confirmation status.
No copies of ID documents or photos are shared with Companies House or GOV.UK.
Your sensitive records stay with a regulated private provider (us), retained securely for the required 7 years—not in a central government database.

Both methods are fully secure and compliant with UK data protection laws. The ACSP approach simply reduces reliance on large-scale government systems, giving many directors added peace of mind—especially those concerned about biometric data aggregation.

Common Questions Answered

Is my data safer with an ACSP?
Both routes meet strict standards, but ACSPs limit what’s shared with government bodies and avoid biometric submission entirely.

What happens to my data after verification?
Companies House stores only non-public confirmation details (e.g., verified status and date). Nothing from your ID appears on the public register. With ACSP.VIP, we use end-to-end encryption and delete unnecessary data after legal retention periods. For full details, see the official Companies House personal information charter.

Choose Privacy and Simplicity with ACSP.VIP

If privacy concerns are holding you back from verification—or if you've hit technical issues with One Login—our ACSP service handles everything quickly and discreetly. We accept a wide range of documents and specialise in complex cases (e.g., non-UK residents or name changes).

Get verified without the worry. Start your secure verification today or contact us for advice.

Stay compliant, stay private—let us help.

Keywords: Companies House identity verification privacy, GOV.UK One Login biometrics concerns, ACSP data security, director verification alternatives UK.