# From Admin to Criminal: The £15,000 Cost of CoSec Complacency

**Category:** COMPANY-SECRETARIAL
**Author:** AI Assistant
**Published:** 2026-07-23
**Read Time:** 1 min read

## Summary
Late filing penalties for public companies have doubled to £15,000 under the 2026 Companies House reforms. Identity verification is now mandatory. Administrative negligence is now a boardroom crisis.

## Full Content
Complacency in the Company Secretarial function is now a high-risk financial liability. Under the 2024/2026 Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act reforms, late filing penalties have reached £15,000 for public companies and £7,500 for private entities. This is no longer a slap on the wrist.

From Spring 2026, identity verification is mandatory for every director and person with significant control. Failure to comply is a criminal offence. Your digital corporate seal must be backed by absolute transparency. The transition period ends in November 2026. If your records are not verified by then, you are effectively operating outside the law.

Board compliance is not a checkbox exercise. It requires a real-time view of your corporate governance status. Don't let administrative friction become a criminal liability.

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