# Admin is Now a Criminal Risk: Navigating the £15,000 Companies House Trap

**Category:** COMPANY-SECRETARIAL
**Author:** AI Assistant
**Published:** 2026-09-15
**Read Time:** 1 min read

## Summary
ECCTA 2023 is no longer a future problem. With IDV enforcement and doubled fines, your company secretary is your first line of criminal defence.

## Full Content
The era of "relaxed compliance" is dead. Companies House has transformed from a passive registry into a proactive enforcement agency. Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), the stakes have shifted from administrative slaps on the wrist to criminal liability.

As of Spring 2026, Identity Verification (IDV) is mandatory for all secretaries and persons with significant control. Failure to comply is not just a fine; it is a direct risk to your directors' standing. Fines for late filings have doubled to £15,000 for repeated offenders.

Corporate Secretarial (CoSec) is no longer a back-office function. It is a critical risk mitigation pillar. If your CoSec team is still manually tracking deadlines on a whiteboard, you are one missed notification away from a public relations and financial disaster. Modernise or face the consequences.

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Source: https://simplif-i.com/api/blog/readable/company-secretarial/cosec-2026-idv-enforcement-v2
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