Persons of Significant Control (PSC): what they reveal about a UK company

The PSC register turned ten years old in 2026. The reforms under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act are still bedding in, but the basic rule hasn't changed: if a UK company can't tell you who controls it, that is the answer.

The PSC register exists for one reason: to make it harder to hide who really owns and controls a UK company.

Who counts as a PSC

Anyone who meets one or more of the following:

• Holds more than 25% of the shares
• Holds more than 25% of the voting rights
• Has the right to appoint or remove a majority of the board
• Has the right to exercise, or actually exercises, significant influence or control
• Has significant influence or control over a trust or firm that itself meets one of the above

Bands you will see

PSC holdings are reported in bands — 25–50%, 50–75%, or 75–100% — for shares and voting rights separately.

What “no PSC” really means

There are legitimate “no PSC” statements (genuinely diffuse ownership, certain regulated entities). On a small trading company, however, “no PSC identified” usually means the register has not been completed properly — or someone is hiding.

Red flags in the PSC register

• PSC is a foreign entity in a low-transparency jurisdiction with no further chain
• PSC changes every few months
• PSC is a corporate body and the chain stops short of a human UBO
• Statement says “the company has not yet completed taking reasonable steps” for an extended period

Using PSC data in your decision

Treat the PSC register as the start of beneficial-ownership analysis, not the end. For higher-risk relationships, follow the chain all the way to the ultimate human and verify their identity. Our KYB explainer covers the full check, and the sanctions and PEP screening primer shows how to screen the people you identify.

Beneficial ownership, without the spreadsheet

CompanyCheckr resolves PSC chains across UK entities so you can see the ultimate human, not just the holding company. Try a check or sign up and we'll alert you when a PSC changes on a company you're monitoring.