Online access to companies

The UK government can't stop fiddling with its online access, authentication and authorisation systems in relation to companies. It's difficult to remember which of the various servies you need, and they occasionally change (etc).

My current (as of April 2025) notes:

This is a desperate attempt to try to work out which of the various services it is necessary to use in order to do things such as:

• incorporate a new company
• update directors of companies
• file other documents for companies such as new articles of association
• file annual accounts with Companies House
• pay corporation tax

There seem to be at least the following systems, with non-overlapping namespaces of userids:

EWF (electronic web filing)

• filing company annual accounts at Companies House
• Filing confirmation statements
• Move registered office
• Rename company

Government Gateway (uses 12 digit login code)

• making tax return for corporation tax
• Registering for corp tax (per-company govgateway ID required)
• paying corp tax and fines

Notes

Companies House account is different from a Web Filing account: