Letter to CCLBG Trustees re ID Verification 
The introduction of identity verification (IDV) is one of the key changes to UK company law under the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA). Directors/charity trustees of charitable companies limited by guarantee (CCLBGs) need to be ID verified to act under the provisions of the ECCTA and there are potential civil and criminal penalties for failure to do so. IDV is voluntary from 8 April 2025 but mandatory from 18 November 2025. IDV applies to directors/charity trustees irrespective of their nationality or where they are resident.
The ECCTA gives Companies House new and enhanced powers to help disrupt economic crime and the IDV regime is a key component of this.
From 18 November 2025 it is no longer possible to register an appointment of a director/ charity trustee at Companies House nor for that director/charity trustee to act, until they have been ID verified. Those in office as directors/charity trustees before that date also need to be ID verified to continue to act.
This template letter from a CCLBG to its directors/charity trustees, outlines in broad terms the IDV regime. This should enable directors/charity trustees to understand what the regime is and the steps that both they and the CCLBG need to undertake to comply with the ECCTA.
Companies House (March 2025) issued its intended implementation timetable for much of the rest of the ECCTA that was not yet in force; this included the IDV regime. The regime has been implemented in phases, commencing with voluntary IDV from 8th April 2025, mandatory IDV from 18 November 2025, with completion of implementation set for the end of 2026. This letter reflects this timetable and the transition period that will see more than 7 million people going through enhanced checks. For CCLBGs that have not already done so, communicating with directors/charity trustees is a matter of importance and urgency. This letter is a good starting point.
Verifying early means that if complications arise there is less likelihood of missed deadlines and potential fines for non-compliance as well as being ahead of the vast bulk of people ID verifying on or after 18 November 2025.
Companies House guidance in relation to the IDV process is available here.
Requisite details should be inserted into the highlighted fields or the wording can be adjusted to suit your purposes. Wording in square brackets is optional. If it is required, then the brackets should be deleted and the wording within them retained. If the wording is not required, then it can be deleted.
Once you have subscribed to the appropriate document folder click on the “Download Document” button below. You will be asked what you want to do with the file. It is recommended that you save the document to a location of your choice prior to viewing.
Letter to CCLBG Trustees re ID Verification is part of Corporate. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Corporate for 1 year.