Annual return - Directors addresses

As you are aware a director of a UK company is required to disclose their residential address each year on the company's annual return.  As a result the residential addresses of all UK directors, other than those with special dispensation on grounds of security, are publicly available from Companies House.  

The Companies Act 2006 has changed this requirement with effect from 1 October 2009.  Directors may now opt for a service address to be placed on public record rather than their residential address.  

In these circumstances it is still a requirement for the residential address to be lodged with Companies House but this will only be available to public authorities and credit reference agencies.  Only the service address will be publicly available.  

A service address can be any address at which you may be contacted except for a PO Box or DX number.  The address must be where documents can be delivered and an acknowledgement or receipt can be provided if required.  Your business/trading address could be used as your service address.  

If you would like to use a service address then it is necessary to amend your details at Companies House otherwise the residential address automatically becomes the service address.  

For further information or assistance with changing to a service address for any or all of your company's directors please contact us.

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