Directors run a company. People with significant control own it, or can direct it. Since April 2016 every UK company has had to identify its PSCs and report them to Companies House, where they are published alongside the officers. For anyone researching a brand-new company, the PSC register answers the question that matters most: who is actually behind this, and how much of it do they hold?
The five conditions
A person, or a legal entity, is a PSC if they meet any of the following.
- Holds, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the shares.
- Holds, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting rights.
- Holds the right, directly or indirectly, to appoint or remove a majority of the board of directors.
- Otherwise has the right to exercise, or actually exercises, significant influence or control over the company.
- Has the right to exercise, or actually exercises, significant influence or control over a trust or firm that itself meets one of the first four conditions.
Shareholdings and voting rights are reported in three bands: more than 25% up to 50%, more than 50% up to 75%, and 75% or more. The register does not give the exact percentage.
Reading the entries
Each PSC entry lists a name, a service address, the month and year of birth for individuals, nationality, country of residence, the date they became a PSC and the natures of control that apply. A corporate PSC, known as a relevant legal entity, lists its company name, number and registration authority instead of personal details. Lead Forge shows all of this in the Control section of a company profile, with the natures of control translated into plain English.
What PSC patterns tell you about a new company
| Pattern | Likely meaning | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| One individual, 75% or more, also the sole director | Founder-led solo start-up | Direct, fast decisions. Email the founder. |
| Two individuals, each 25–50% | Co-founders, roughly equal | Two decision-makers; find the operational one. |
| Individual PSC plus a corporate PSC | Founder with an investor or holding company | Budget exists; decisions may need sign-off. |
| A single corporate PSC | Subsidiary or special-purpose vehicle | The parent decides. Research the parent instead. |
| No PSC statement, or 'no individual or entity with significant control' | Widely held or structured ownership | Rare in a new company; look closer. |
Why it matters for outreach
The PSC register tells you whether the director you can see is also the owner. When the answer is yes, you are writing to the one person who can say yes, and your first email can be about their business rather than about process. When the answer is no, you are writing to a manager or a nominee, and the conversation is different. Lead Forge's AI analysis reads this pattern and reflects it in the executive brief and the director intelligence section, labelling the inference as interpretation.
QUICK ANSWERS
Questions this article answers
- What counts as significant control?
- Holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors, or otherwise having significant influence or control over the company or over a trust or firm that meets one of those conditions.
- Do all companies have to list a PSC?
- All UK companies and LLPs must keep a PSC register and report it to Companies House, with limited exceptions such as companies listed on certain regulated markets. A company with no PSC must state that instead.