The Register of Overseas Entities: UK properties held on trust

The Register of Overseas Entities, which came into force on 1 August 2025, is a government initiative designed to combat global economic crime. It required overseas entities who buy property in the UK to register with Companies House and disclose who their beneficial owners and managing officers are.

The Register of Overseas Entities (Protection & Trusts) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (the “Regulations”), which came into effect on 24 February 2025, changed the access and protection of trust data by allowing Companies House to release information relating to the trusts that would previously have been protected from public view.

Previously, information including the settlors, trustees and beneficiaries of a trust, would have been protected and hidden from public view. The Regulations have amended this so that information related to trusts on the Register of Overseas Entities will be made available on request. In order to view trust information, an application should be made to Companies House and the applicant must be able to name the trust, so as to avoid speculative applications. Companies House may impose conditions on the use and further disclosure of the information.

If a person wishes to have their information protected, they can apply to Companies House, for a fee of £100, to protect their trust member details, if they meet the requisite criteria.

Failure to comply with this can result in serious consequences, including prosecution, financial penalties and restrictions on selling, charging or leasing property.

It is therefore essential that trust owners and trustees prepare for extra scrutiny and review their land-holding structures and register where required.

If you need help to understand how these changes could affect you, contact our expert Real Estate team by email, or call +44(0)3333 231580.