Free tool
Check your company before you apply
Most business account applications are not declined over credit. They are declined because something on the application does not match Companies House. This checks the things providers check, using the public register, before you spend a week on an application that was never going to work.
Sole trader? This tool needs a company number, so it will not help you — but why applications get declined covers what does apply.
What this checks, and why each one matters
Every check below reflects a reason we have seen applications fail, or an eligibility rule a provider publishes.
- Company status. Dissolved, in liquidation or proposed for strike-off ends an application immediately.
- Registered address. Companies House flags addresses it cannot deliver to, or that are in dispute. Either one will stop verification.
- Filing history. Overdue accounts or an overdue confirmation statement suggest a company that is not being run tidily, and onboarding teams read it that way.
- SIC codes. Chosen carelessly at incorporation more often than not. Some sit in sectors that most providers will not bank.
- Directors and residency. Several providers require every director and person of significant control to be UK resident. One overseas director ends it.
- Number of directors. Some accounts are single-director only.
- Company age. Some lenders require established trading history; some free banking offers require the opposite.
Nothing is stored
The company number goes to Companies House through our server and the result comes back to your browser. We do not log it, keep it, or attach it to you. There is no sign-up because there is nothing to sign up to.
Data comes from the Companies House public register under the Open Government Licence.
Common questions
Why was my business bank account application declined?
Most commonly a mismatch with Companies House, a higher-risk SIC code, an unverifiable registered address, an overseas director, or a vague business description. Personal credit history is a far less frequent cause than people assume.
Can I change my SIC code?
Yes. You can update it on your next confirmation statement, or file one early. If your SIC code does not describe what you actually do, changing it before applying is worth doing.
Does a formation agent address cause problems?
It can. Providers verify that a business exists where it says it does, and a mailbox at a formation agent shared with thousands of companies is harder to verify. It is not automatically fatal, but it is a common contributing factor.
Which providers require UK resident directors?
Monzo requires every director and person of significant control to be UK resident. Others vary. If any director lives overseas, check before applying rather than after.
Is this an official Companies House tool?
No. We are an independent publisher using the free Companies House public data API. The register itself is the authoritative source.