Most people searching for the companies house phone number UK are not trying to make a general enquiry. They are dealing with something specific — a filing deadline they've missed, a registered address query, or a company name dispute — and they want to speak to someone who can help them move forward.
This article covers exactly how to contact Companies House by phone, what they can and cannot help you with, and what SMEs are typically trying to resolve when they call.
Companies House Phone Number UK: The Direct Contact Details
The companies house phone number UK for general enquiries is 0303 1234 500. This line is operated by Companies House and covers questions about company registration, filing, annual returns, and account submissions. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm. Calls are charged at local rates from UK landlines, and mobile rates vary by provider.
For Welsh-language enquiries, there is a separate line: 029 2038 0065. If you are calling from outside the UK, the international number is +44 1633 500 166.
Companies House is an executive agency of the UK government, responsible for incorporating and dissolving companies, registering company information, and making that information publicly available. It does not give legal or financial advice over the phone. If you are calling about a director dispute, share ownership, or tax liability, you will be redirected.
For written contact, you can email Companies House at enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk. Many queries that require a paper trail — amendments, address changes, objections to dissolution — are better handled in writing so you have a record.
What You Can Actually Resolve by Calling
Knowing the companies house phone number UK is one thing. Understanding what the support team can realistically help with is another. After nine years running a marketing agency and working with dozens of SME clients across different sectors, the queries we saw businesses most commonly raise with Companies House fell into a predictable set.
The phone line handles straightforward status queries well. If you need to know whether a filing has been received, whether a penalty notice is accurate, or whether your registered office change has been processed, a phone call is usually quicker than waiting on email.
What the phone line does not handle: anything to do with HMRC, VAT registration, PAYE, or tax codes. Companies House and HMRC are separate bodies with separate contact routes. A significant number of small businesses conflate the two, which wastes time on both sides.
| Query Type | Best Contact Method | Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Filing status check | Phone: 0303 1234 500 | Same call |
| Penalty notice dispute | Email or WebFiling | 5–10 working days |
| Registered address change | WebFiling portal | 24–48 hours |
| Company name objection | Written application | Up to 3 months |
| Dissolution query | Phone or email | 1–3 working days |
| HMRC / tax query | HMRC: 0300 200 3300 | Varies |
For registered office changes specifically, the WebFiling portal is generally faster than a phone call — changes are often reflected within 24 hours. See also our guide on Company House Number: What SMEs Actually Need for a full breakdown of CRNs, how they work, and where they appear.
How to Contact Companies House Without Calling
Some situations are better handled without picking up the phone. Companies House offers several alternative contact routes, each suited to different query types.
The WebFiling service (ewf.companieshouse.gov.uk) handles most statutory filings online, including confirmation statements, accounts, and director changes. For most administrative matters, this is the fastest route. If you are a registered user, you can track submission status in your account dashboard.
The Companies House Service (find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk) allows anyone to search company records, check filing history, and download filed documents without needing to call. If you are researching a supplier or verifying a potential partner's registration, this is the correct starting point.
For formal correspondence — dissolution objections, name disputes, or complaints — you should write to: Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ. Always include your company registration number in any written communication. Without it, processing slows significantly.
If you are dealing with a company that you believe has been struck off fraudulently, or if your own company has been struck off in error, that is a more urgent matter and a phone call to 0303 1234 500 is the right first step, followed by a formal application to restore the company to the register.
For a deeper look at what calling Companies House actually involves, including what to have ready before you dial, our article on Call Companies House: What SMEs Actually Need covers the process in detail.
Why SMEs Search for the Companies House Phone Number UK
The companies house phone number UK gets searched by people in quite specific situations. It is rarely a general curiosity — it is almost always a business owner who has hit a wall with the WebFiling portal, received an unexpected letter, or realised a deadline has passed.
Struck-off notices are a common trigger. If Companies House sends a notice that your company is about to be dissolved for failing to file a confirmation statement, calling immediately is the right move. The phone team can confirm whether the process has started and what your window is for objecting or filing to prevent dissolution.
Missed filing deadlines are another. Private limited companies must file their confirmation statement at least once every 12 months. Accounts must be filed within nine months of the accounting reference date for private companies. Missing either triggers penalty notices, and those notices prompt a lot of calls.
Address verification queries come up often too. If a company's registered office appears incorrectly on the public register — which can happen after a registered agent change or an office move — businesses want to correct it quickly, particularly if they use the registered address on invoices or contracts.
How to Advertise Your Business With Google Ads is a separate conversation, but it is worth noting that many businesses searching for Companies House contacts are also in the process of setting up or restructuring — moments when advertising strategy becomes relevant.
What Changes in 2026 for Companies House Filings
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act has introduced a phased set of changes to how Companies House operates, and several of those changes take effect or are consolidated in 2026. SMEs should be aware of the following.
Identity verification is now a requirement for directors, persons with significant control (PSCs), and anyone filing on behalf of a company. If you have not completed identity verification, you may find certain filings are blocked. This is worth resolving before it becomes urgent — the phone line can confirm your status, but the actual verification must be completed through the Companies House online service.
The register is also being cleaned up more aggressively. Companies with inconsistent or suspicious filing histories are being flagged, and the agency has new powers to query and reject information it believes to be inaccurate. This means that historically passive approaches to company administration — filing the minimum required and ignoring anomalies — carry more risk than they did three years ago.
For SMEs running Google Ads alongside managing their compliance obligations, the administrative load can stack up. Small Business PPC Management: What Actually Works outlines how businesses typically split that workload.
Managing the Business Admin Behind the Ads
There is a particular type of SME owner who searches for the companies house phone number UK on a Tuesday afternoon in between checking their Google Ads account and chasing an invoice. The compliance side of running a business does not pause because you are busy with marketing.
That is exactly the context in which Overtime operates. Rather than adding another manual task to your week, Overtime's AI agent logs into your Google Ads account, adjusts bids based on performance, pauses underperforming keywords, reallocates budget toward what is working, and sends you a plain-English summary. You deal with Companies House. Overtime deals with the ads.
For SMEs who are spending money on Google Ads but do not have the time or expertise to manage them properly, the gap between what the account could be doing and what it is actually doing tends to widen over time. How Much Is Google Ads for SMEs covers what that spend typically looks like and where it goes.
If you are at the point of structuring or registering a business and thinking about advertising at the same time, understanding Google Pay Per Click Management: What SMEs Need to Know gives you a solid foundation before committing budget.
The companies house phone number UK gives you access to a human who can help with your registration and filing queries. What it cannot do is manage the commercial side of your business. That requires a different set of actions — and increasingly, a different set of agents.
If you are running Google Ads and finding that the account is either unmanaged or managed reactively, the practical next step is to see what Overtime's pricing looks like against what you are currently spending on management or losing to wasted clicks.
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FAQ
What is the companies house phone number UK for general enquiries?
The main companies house phone number UK is 0303 1234 500, available Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm. For Welsh-language support, call 029 2038 0065. International callers should use +44 1633 500 166.
What can Companies House help me with over the phone?
The phone line handles filing status queries, confirmation statement questions, penalty notice clarifications, and registered office queries. Companies House cannot advise on tax, HMRC matters, legal disputes, or share ownership — those require separate contacts.
How do I correct an error on the Companies House register?
For most errors, the WebFiling portal is the fastest route. For more complex issues — such as a fraudulently struck-off company or a name dispute — contact Companies House directly on 0303 1234 500 and follow up in writing with your company registration number included.
Should I call or email Companies House for a penalty notice dispute?
Email or written correspondence is generally better for penalty disputes because it creates a record. Send your objection to enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk and include your CRN, the penalty reference number, and a clear explanation of the grounds for your objection.
Do I need to verify my identity with Companies House in 2026?
Yes. Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, identity verification is now required for directors and persons with significant control. If you have not completed this, certain filings may be blocked. Check your status via the Companies House online service or call 0303 1234 500 for guidance.
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The companies house phone number UK — 0303 1234 500 — is your fastest route to resolving filing and registration queries. Have your company registration number ready before you call, know whether your query relates to Companies House or HMRC, and use the WebFiling portal for anything that does not require a conversation. If you are also managing Google Ads alongside the day-to-day of running a business, Overtime's AI agent handles the ad management so that side of the business does not fall behind while you are dealing with compliance.