Companies House has launched a review into how long records of dissolved companies should be retained, after concerns were raised that the current 20-year retention period may be too
short.
At present, Companies House keeps company records for as long as businesses remain active. Once a company is dissolved, its records are held for 20 years before selected documents are transferred to the relevant public archive, such as The National Archives for companies registered in England and Wales. Records not selected for preservation are destroyed under the existing policy.
As part of the review, Companies House has temporarily suspended both the destruction and transfer of dissolved company records. Despite the pause, the public can still access information through the Find and update company information service and the Search for a dissolved company service. Requests for records not available online can also continue during the review period, although access fees may apply.
The government said the review aims to balance public access to transparent company information with the need to protect personal data and ensure value for money.
Any proposals to extend or change the retention period will be subject to a public consultation before decisions are made. Photo by Peter Church / Companies House, Cardiff / CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia commons.
