Companies House has disciplined more than 100 employees over the past three years for breaches of internal policies, according to new data revealed through a Freedom of Information request.
Analysis by the Parliament Street think tank found that a total of 132 staff members faced disciplinary action, with cases linked to issues such as attendance, performance, grievance handling and probation processes.
The findings come at a sensitive time for the organisation, following a recent technical glitch on the corporate register that allowed users to access sensitive company information by navigating backwards through the system, raising fresh concerns about data security and operational oversight.
Alongside the disciplinary figures, the data shows that 12,684 compliance and ethics training courses were completed by Companies House employees and contractors over the same period, reflecting a significant push to strengthen internal governance.
The mandatory training programme covers a wide range of areas, including counter fraud, bribery and corruption, data protection, security classification, health and safety, and civil service standards.
A spokesperson for Companies House said the organisation has “robust procedures in place to address misconduct or poor performance”, noting that it employs around 2,400 staff.
The disciplinary data highlights the operational challenges facing public sector bodies tasked with managing large-scale data systems and regulatory responsibilities, particularly as digital transformation accelerates.
The recent system vulnerability has added urgency to calls for stronger safeguards, with critics arguing that even minor weaknesses in core infrastructure can expose businesses and individuals to fraud and reputational risk.
Industry experts say emerging technologies could play a key role in reducing such risks. Ritesh Singhania, chief executive of AI firm Zango AI, said organisations must move away from manual processes in complex regulatory environments.
“In an AI-driven world, compliance malpractice will soon become inexcusable,” he said, warning that reliance on manual systems increases the likelihood of errors, breaches and costly penalties.
Similarly, Raj Abrol, chief executive of Galytix, argued that automation could significantly improve adherence to regulatory standards by reducing human error and improving oversight.
For Companies House, which sits at the centre of the UK’s corporate transparency framework, the challenge is balancing operational scale with rigorous compliance.
As the organisation continues to modernise its systems and processes, the combination of staff training, disciplinary oversight and technological investment will be critical in maintaining trust in one of the country’s most important public registers.
The latest figures suggest progress is being made on training and enforcement, but also underline the importance of continued vigilance as both regulatory expectations and technological complexity continue to rise.
Read more:
Companies House disciplines over 100 staff amid compliance concerns
