PSC08 Form UK: Notice of PSC Statements Explained
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If your company needs to give formal notice of a statement relating to its people with significant control, the PSC08 is the form you are looking for. It sits within the wider PSC regime introduced to improve transparency around who really owns and controls UK companies, and it is one of several forms in the PSC series used to keep the public register accurate.
The form is used in specific circumstances, not as a routine annual filing, and getting the timing and content right matters. In this guide I walk through what PSC08 actually does, when it applies, how it fits alongside the other PSC forms, and where companies most commonly trip up.
If you would rather talk it through with someone first, a call with an experienced legal adviser can help you work out whether PSC08 is the correct form for what you are trying to do.
What this document is
PSC08 is the Companies House form used to give notice of a PSC statement. A PSC statement is a prescribed wording that a company must enter on its own PSC register, and then notify to Companies House, when it cannot record the usual confirmed details of a person with significant control.
For example, a company may be investigating whether someone meets the conditions for significant control, may have identified a PSC but not yet confirmed their particulars, or may have no one who meets the conditions at all. In each of those scenarios, a specific statement applies.
PSC08 is how the company tells the registrar that one of those statements now applies to it. It is separate from PSC01 (used to give notice of an individual PSC) and PSC02 to PSC05 (used for other PSC types and changes).
The underlying regime sits in Part 21A of the Companies Act 2006 and the accompanying regulations, which set out the statements that can be used and the conditions under which each one is appropriate.
How to use this document
- Confirm PSC08 is actually the right form. The PSC forms are easy to mix up. PSC08 is only for giving notice of a prescribed PSC statement, such as 'the company knows or has reasonable cause to believe that there is no registrable person'. If you have identified and confirmed a PSC, you likely need PSC01 instead. If details are changing, a different form in the series applies.
- Update your internal PSC register first. The law requires the statement to be entered on the company's own PSC register before, or at the same time as, it is notified to Companies House. Make sure the wording you record internally matches the prescribed statement exactly, because any variation can cause the register to be inaccurate and the filing to be rejected.
- Select the correct prescribed statement. There are several statements to choose from, each with a specific meaning. Pick the one that precisely reflects your company's situation, whether that is an ongoing investigation, unconfirmed particulars, a failure to respond to notices, or a genuine absence of any PSC. Choosing the wrong one can mislead the public register.
- Complete and submit the form to Companies House. PSC08 can generally be filed online through the Companies House service, which is usually faster and reduces the risk of rejection. Paper filing is also possible. Include the company name, company number, the effective date of the statement, and the exact prescribed wording.
- Review and update if circumstances change. A PSC statement is not necessarily permanent. If, for example, you later identify and confirm a PSC, you will need to remove the statement and file the appropriate notice (such as PSC01) so that the public record reflects reality. Keep PSC matters under active review.
Common questions
Q When does a company need to use PSC08 rather than PSC01?
PSC01 is used when you are giving notice of an actual person with significant control whose particulars have been confirmed. PSC08 is used when you cannot do that, either because no one meets the conditions, the company is still investigating, particulars have not been confirmed, or a PSC has failed to respond. In short, PSC01 names a person, PSC08 records a statement about the status of PSC information.
Q Is PSC08 an annual filing?
No. It is an event-driven filing. You only use PSC08 when a prescribed PSC statement becomes applicable to your company, or when an existing statement changes. Your annual touchpoint with Companies House on ownership information is the confirmation statement (CS01), which checks that the PSC information already on the register is still accurate.
Q What happens if we do not file the PSC08 when we should?
Failing to keep PSC information accurate at Companies House is a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006 and can expose the company and its officers to sanctions, including fines. The register may also show inaccurate information, which can cause problems with banks, investors, and counterparties. For current penalty levels, check gov.uk.
Q Can a company have no people with significant control at all?
Yes, it is possible. Some companies have ownership structures where no individual meets any of the statutory conditions for significant control. In that situation, the company still has to say so, using the prescribed statement that there is no registrable person. That statement is then notified using PSC08.
Q Do we need to tell the PSC before filing?
Where the statement relates to an individual (for example, because they have failed to confirm their particulars or respond to a notice), the company will usually have already issued statutory notices to them as part of the process. The PSC08 itself does not require a further notification step, but keeping clear internal records of the steps taken is sensible.
Q Does PSC08 apply to LLPs?
The PSC regime applies to UK companies and to LLPs, with LLPs using their own equivalent forms under the LLP (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations. The general concepts are similar, but the specific form references differ. If you run an LLP rather than a company, check the LLP-specific filings on gov.uk.
Q Can we amend a PSC08 after filing?
If the information filed was wrong, Companies House has a process for correcting the register, including RP04 for second filings of certain forms. In most cases the cleaner approach is to file the correct form reflecting the current position, such as a PSC01 if a PSC has since been identified and confirmed, so that the public record is brought up to date.
Sources
This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.
- Guidance · UK GovCompanies House: Give notice of PSC statements (PSC08)gov.uk
- Guidance · UK GovGuidance: People with significant control (PSC)gov.uk
- LegislationCompanies Act 2006, Part 21Alegislation.gov.uk
- Guidance · Companies HouseCompanies House filing servicefind-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.