Glossary

GOV.UK One Login

Krishna Prasad Dahal, Chartered Accountant

Reviewed by Krishna Prasad Dahal FCCA, ACA (ICAEW), FCA (ICAI India)ICAEW Council Member · Last reviewed

Definition

GOV.UK One Login is the government’s single sign-in account for online services, protected by two-factor authentication. Companies House uses it in two ways: to sign in to services such as WebFiling, compulsory since 13 October 2025, and to verify identity. Directors and people with significant control (PSCs) who verify through One Login receive an 11-character Companies House personal code.

How it links to Companies House

  • Signing in: your WebFiling and Find and update company information accounts connect to your One Login. Filing for a company still needs that company’s authentication code.
  • Verifying identity: the free “Verify your identity for Companies House” service runs on One Login. You can verify with an app and photo ID such as a biometric passport or UK photo driving licence, with bank details and security questions, or at a participating Post Office.

An email address can only be used once to verify an identity, so people who share an email need separate One Logins.

Common confusions

Connecting a WebFiling account to One Login does not verify your identity. One Login is also not the only way to verify: an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP), such as an accountant, can do it instead. Both routes, and the deadlines, are compared in the guide to Companies House identity verification. GOV.UK says One Login will, over time, replace other sign-in methods, including Government Gateway.

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