FAQs
 Full List of FAQs |
Why is Companies House closing its Information Centres (CHICs)?
Customers are now able to use Companies House services electronically, so fewer of them are visiting our CHICs. This means that it has become uneconomic to continue providing services through the CHICs.
When will this happen?
The CHICs will close to customers on 1 August 2003.
How did CH make the decision to close the CHICs?
The DTI’s Quinquennial Review of Companies House’s operations recommended that Companies House review the CHICs.
Companies House undertook a thorough review of the use customers make of CHICs in September 2002. This review concluded that the level of use made of the CHICs did not justify keeping them open.
Will Companies House’s offices in Cardiff, London and Edinburgh remain open?
Yes. These offices were not part of the review.
How many customers use the CHICs?
Only about 3% of documents received by Companies House are delivered through the CHICs. In 2002 an average of only 3,323 documents were received by the CHICs each week, compared with 25,000 per day received at Companies House’s main office in Cardiff.
A monthly average of 101 companies were incorporated through the CHICs in 2001/02, compared with a monthly average of 19,000 companies incorporated in total.
How many customers use other services?
97% of documents are delivered to Companies House in Cardiff, without using CHICs, by post, courier, Document Exchange (DX) or in person.
90% of company searches are now requested and delivered electronically and more than 50% of new companies are incorporated electronically.
The Companies House website registers more than 11 million page impressions each month.
What about customers who deliver documents to CHICs?
Documents can be delivered to our remaining offices in Cardiff, London and Edinburgh:
- in person
- by post
- by document exchange (DX)
- by courier
There are plans to expand the number of forms we receive electronically, in line with the Modernising Government Agenda.
What will happen to same day incorporations?
These will be available to all customers through our offices in Cardiff, London and Edinburgh.
How will Companies House maintain the levels of its services?
Companies House now has 12 regional focus groups, ensuring that customers have a say in the development of services. We also run a regular customer satisfaction survey, which give a broad range of customers the opportunity to comment on the delivery of all our services. Details can be found on this website; or you can telephone our contact centre on 0870 33 33 636.
Where can I get information about services Companies House offers instead of the CHICs?
Information about all Companies House services can be found on this website; or you can telephone our contact centre on 0870 33 33 636.
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