The Protection and Disclosure of Personal Information (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Type Statutory-Instrument
Publication 2025-07-15
State In force
Department King's Printer of Acts of Parliament
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Made: 15th July 2025

Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(2) and (3)

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 7A(1)(a) of the Limited Partnerships Act 1907[^f00001], section 15(a) of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000[^f00002], sections 32(6), 36(2) and 37C(2) of, and paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 4 to, the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004[^f00003], sections 243(3)(a) and (4), 643(3)[^f00004], 790ZG(1)(a), 1043(2), 1046(1)(a), 1088(1), 1110F(1)(c) and 1292(3) and (4) of the Companies Act 2006[^f00005] and sections 153(1)(a) and 216(1) of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023[^f00006].

In accordance with section 7A(5) of the Limited Partnerships Act 1907, section 17(4) and (5)(b) of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000, section 62(4) and (5) of the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004, sections 790ZG(6), 1046(8), 1088(10), 1110F(2) and 1290 of the Companies Act 2006 and section 217(5)(c) of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 a draft of this instrument was laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

Part 1 — Introductory provisions

Citation, commencement and extent

1

Part 2 — Application for protection of personal information on the companies register

Application for protection of personal information

2

that individual’s business occupation.

unavailable for public inspection.

Contents of application

3

Effect of an application under regulation 2

4

Part 3 — Amendments to the Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009

Amendments to the Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009

5

  • former name” means a name— by which an individual was formerly known, and which was contained in a document delivered to the registrar in which the individual’s name was required to be stated;
  • name” means a person's forename and surname, except that in the case of— a peer; or an individual usually known by a title, the title may be stated instead of the person’s forename and surname;

(3) The registrar may decline to disclose protected information to a credit reference agency where the credit reference agency fails to— (a) deliver to the registrar— (i) such information or evidence in addition to the statement required by paragraph 10 of Schedule 2 (disclosure to a credit reference agency) as the registrar may direct; (ii) the information or evidence referred to in sub-paragraph (i) verified in such manner as the registrar may direct; (iii) any updated statement requested by the registrar under Part 2 of Schedule 2; (b) inform the registrar immediately of any change in respect of any statement delivered to the registrar pursuant to Schedule 2 or information or evidence provided for the purpose of enabling the registrar to determine whether to disclose protected information.

(viii) the eligible Scottish partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registrable person under the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/694); (ix) the limited partnerships in relation to which that individual is, was, or proposes to become, a partner; (x) the limited partnerships in relation to which that individual is, was, or proposes to become, a registered officer of a general partner; or (xi) the limited partnerships in relation to which that individual is, was, or proposes to become, the named contact of a corporate managing officer of a general partner;

(7) In this regulation— - “the 1907 Act” means the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 (c. 24 (7 Edw 7)); - “corporate managing officer” has the meaning given in section 3(1) of the 1907 Act; - “eligible Scottish partnership” has the meaning given in regulation 3(2) of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017; - “general partner” has the meaning given in section 3 of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); - “limited partnership” has the meaning given in section 4 of the 1907 Act (definition and constitution of limited partnership); - “named contact” has the meaning given in section 8K(5) of the 1907 Act (duty to maintain registered officer and named contacts); - “registered officer” has the meaning given in section 8K(4) of the 1907 Act.

(1) Where an individual's usual residential address is on the register, that individual may make a section 1088 application in respect of that address. (1A) An individual may not make an application under paragraph (1)— (a) in respect of a current address that a company is required to maintain on the register unless the address appears on the register as the current address of that individual, in which case the application may only relate to the address where it appears on the register as such; (b) that would, if registered, require the registrar to make unavailable for public inspection— (i) any part of a copy of an order imposing a charge, instrument, deed or debenture, or (ii) any address, or part thereof, forming part of a description of property or land subject to a charge, released from a charge, or that has ceased to form part of a company’s property or undertaking, in either case, delivered for the purposes of the charge provisions; or (c) where registration of that application would require the registrar to make unavailable for public inspection a company’s name or any part of it. (1B) Where an address in respect of which an individual wishes to make an application under paragraph (1) was the registered office address of a company at the time of its dissolution, an application may not be made in relation to the address where it appears on the register as such until after the expiry of the period of 6 months beginning on the day of that company’s dissolution. (1C) In this regulation, the “charge provisions” means any of the provisions contained in— (a) Part 25 of the Act (company charges); (b) Part 12 of the 1985 Act (registration of charges); (c) Part 13 of the 1986 Order (registration of charges).

(aa) the email address of the applicant;

(f) where the address to which the application relates is a current address for the applicant that the company is required to maintain on the register, the service address which is to replace the usual residential address where it appears on the register as such; and

(A1) For the purposes of regulation 9, the registrar may request further information from the applicant for the purposes of enabling the registrar to locate the applicant’s usual residential address on the register where it appears in any document mentioned in regulation 9(2)(e). (B1) Where the registrar has requested information from the applicant under paragraph (1A), the duties in regulation 13(2) to (4) will not apply to the registrar until the applicant has provided sufficient information to enable the registrar to locate the applicant’s usual residential address.

(3) Where the specified address is a current address for the applicant that the company is required to maintain on the register, the registrar must make the specified address unavailable for public inspection where it appears on the register as such by replacing it with the service address provided by the applicant.

(17) The registrar may disclose a usual residential address which has been made unavailable for public inspection pursuant to an application made under regulation 9 to a person specified in section 1029(2) of the Act (application to the court for restoration to the register) if— (a) that address was the registered office address of a company at the time of its dissolution, and (b) the registrar is satisfied that the address is necessary for the person to make an application under section 1029(1) in respect of that company.

Part 4 — Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009

Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009

6

(4) Part 2 of the Protection and Disclosure of Personal Information (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/874) (application for protection of personal information on the companies register) applies to LLPs with the following modifications— (a) for references to a “company” wherever it occurs, substitute “LLP”; (b) in regulation 2— (i) in paragraph (2)(a), for the semi colon substitute “, and”; (ii) in paragraph (2)(b) after “signature”, for “, and” substitute a full stop; (iii) omit paragraph (2)(c); (iv) omit paragraph (4); (v) in paragraph (5), omit the definition of “UK Societas”.

Part 5 — Amendments to the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009

Amendments to the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009

7

Paragraph 20 of Schedule 1 to the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009[^f00015] is amended as follows—

(3) Section 1088 applies to unregistered companies, modified to read as follows— (1088) (1) The following provisions of the Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/214) apply with respect to applications to the registrar to make an address on the register unavailable for public inspection, with the modification specified in subsection (2)— (a) Part 3 (applications to make address unavailable for public inspection), (b) Part 4 (matters relating to applications), so far as relating to such applications, and (c) any other provisions of the Regulations having effect for the purposes of those provisions. (2) Omit regulation 9(1A)(b) and (1C). (3) Part 2 of the Protection and Disclosure of Personal Information (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/874) (application for protection of personal information on the companies register) applies to unregistered companies with the following modifications to regulation 2— (a) for paragraph (2)(c) substitute— (c) in the case of an individual who is or was a director of a company, that individual’s business occupation. (b) omit paragraph (3); (c) in paragraph (5), omit the definition of “UK Societas”.

Part 6 — Amendments to the Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016

Amendments to the Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016

8

(x) the eligible Scottish partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registrable person under the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/694); (xi) the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a partner; (xii) the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registered officer of a general partner; or (xiii) the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become the named contact of a corporate managing officer of a general partner; or

(7) In this regulation— - “the 1907 Act” means the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 (c. 24 (7 Edw 7)); - “corporate managing officer” has the meaning given in section 3(1) of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); - “eligible Scottish partnership” has the meaning given in regulation 3(2) of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017; - “general partner” has the meaning given in section 3 of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); - “limited partnership” has the meaning given in section 4 of the 1907 Act (definition and constitution of limited partnership); - “named contact” has the meaning given in section 8K(5) of the 1907 Act (duty to maintain registered officer and named contacts); - “registered officer” has the meaning given in section 8K(4) of the 1907 Act.

(c) the document in which that information is contained appears on the register in respect of the company mentioned in the application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable.

(A1) This regulation applies where the disclosure relates to the information as it appears on the register in respect of the company mentioned in an application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable.

Part 7 — Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2016

Amendments to the Limited Liability Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2016

9

(x) the eligible Scottish partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registrable person under the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/694); (xi) the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a partner; (xii) the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become a registered officer of a general partner; or (xiii) the limited partnerships in relation to which the applicant is, was, or proposes to become the named contact of a corporate managing officer of a general partner; or

(7) In this regulation— - “the 1907 Act” means the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 (c. 24 (7 Edw 7)); - “corporate managing officer” has the meaning given in section 3(1) of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); - “eligible Scottish partnership” has the meaning given in regulation 3(2) of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017; - “general partner” has the meaning given in section 3 of the 1907 Act (interpretation of terms); - “limited partnership”has the meaning given in section 4 of the 1907 Act (definition and constitution of limited partnership); - “named contact” has the meaning given in section 8K(5) of the 1907 Act (duty to maintain registered officer and named contacts); - “registered officer” has the meaning given in section 8K(4) of the 1907 Act.

(c) the document in which that information is contained appears on the register in respect of the LLP mentioned in an application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable.

(A1) This regulation applies where the disclosure relates to the information as it appears on the register in respect of the company mentioned in the application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38, as applicable.

Part 8 — Amendments to the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017

Amendments to the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017

10

(c) the document in which that information is contained appears on the register in respect of the eligible Scottish partnership mentioned in the application made under regulation 48, 49 or 50, as applicable.

(A1) This regulation applies where the disclosure relates to the information as it appears on the register in respect of the eligible Scottish partnership mentioned in an application made under regulation 48, 49 or 50, as applicable.

Part 9 — Amendments to the Community Interest Company Regulations 2005

Amendments to the Community Interest Company Regulations 2005

11

  • authenticated” means that the person required to authenticate the document in question has signed, or printed their name on, that document;

Part 10 — Amendments to the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008

Amendments to the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008

12

In article 2 of the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008[^f00021]—

(2) In this article, “authenticated” means that each director has signed, or printed their name on, the solvency statement.

Part 11 — Amendments to the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009

Amendments to the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009

13

In paragraph (3)(a) of regulation 6 of the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 (particulars of the company)[^f00022]—

Signed

Justin Madders — Parliamentary Under Secretary of State — Department for Business and Trade — 15th July 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations allow individuals, such as company directors, to apply to the registrar of companies to protect certain personal information from being made available for public inspection on the register.

Part 2 makes provision as to what information individuals can require to be protected and what an application must include.

Part 3 amends the Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/214). The amendments expand the grounds on which an individual can apply to require the registrar to refrain from disclosing their address to a credit reference agency, and allow any individual to apply to protect their usual residential address from public inspection.

Part 4 amends the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804) to apply the provisions in Part 2 and 3 of these Regulations to limited liability partnerships (“LLPs”).

Part 5 amends the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436) to apply the provisions in Part 2 and 3 of these Regulations to unregistered companies.

Part 6 amends the Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/339) to expand the grounds on which an individual can apply to require the registrar to refrain from disclosing their address to a credit reference agency and make other minor amendments.

Part 7 amends the Limited Liability Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/340) to apply the amendments made in Part 6 of these Regulations to LLPs.

Part 8 amends the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/694) (“the 2017 Regulations”) to make the same amendments in relation to eligible Scottish partnerships (see regulation 3 of the 2017 Regulations) as the amendments that are the made in Part 6 of these Regulations in relation to companies.

Part 9 amends the Community Interest Company Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1788) so that documents which previously required a signature will instead need to be authenticated by signature or printed name.

Part 10 amends the Companies (Reduction of Share Capital) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1915) so that solvency statements must be authenticated by signature or printed name.

Part 11 amends the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1801) to remove the requirement for directors to provide a business occupation.

A full Impact Assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1907 c. 24 (7 Edw 7). Section 7A was inserted by section 149 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56).

[^f00002]: 2000 c. 12.

[^f00003]: 2004 c. 27. Section 32(6) was amended, section 36 was substituted and section 37C was inserted, by the Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order (S.I. 2009/1941).

[^f00004]: Section 643(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (c. 46) states that solvency statements (see subsection (1) of that section) must be in the prescribed form. See section 1167 of the Companies Act 2006 for the definition of “prescribed”.

[^f00005]: 2006 c. 46. Sections 790ZG and 1088 were substituted by, respectively, sections 96 and 91 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

[^f00006]: 2023 c. 56.

[^f00007]: 2006 c. 46. Section 167J was inserted by section 51 of, and Schedule 2 to, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56).

[^f00008]: See section 1080(2) of the Companies Act 2006 for the meaning of “the register” and section 1060(3) of that Act for the meaning of “registrar of companies”.

[^f00009]: 1985 c. 6.

[^f00010]: S.I. 1986/1032 (N.I. 6).

[^f00011]: S.I. 2004/2326; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2008/948, 2009/2400 and 2018/1298.

[^f00012]: S.I. 2009/214, amended by S.I. 2024/1377; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

[^f00013]: S.I. 2009/1804.

[^f00014]: Regulation 66 was amended by regulation 10 of the Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Protection and Disclosure of Information and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1377). Other amendments have been made but none are relevant.

[^f00015]: S.I. 2009/2436, amended by S.I. 2017/693; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

[^f00016]: S.I. 2016/339, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00017]: S.I. 2016/340, amended by S.I. 2024/1377; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

[^f00018]: 2000 c. 12.

[^f00019]: S.I. 2017/694, amended by S.I. 2024/410; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

[^f00020]: S.I. 2005/1788, amended by S.I. 2009/1942; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

[^f00021]: S.I. 2008/1915.

[^f00022]: S.I. 2009/1801.

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