Guidance

Appendix A: supporting documents for sponsor licence application (accessible version)

Updated 9 October 2023

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Version 10/23

This appendix is to be used for all sponsor licence applications made or decided on or after 9 October 2023.

Version number and publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

  • version 10/23

  • published on 9 October 2023

You can view previous versions of this guidance on the National Archives website.

Changes to this guidance

This version replaces version 05/23 (published on 31 May 2023). The following changes have been made:

  • Table 1, row 4: clarification that diplomatic missions, consular posts and international organisations applying under routes other than International Agreement must submit any relevant route-specific evidence for those routes, as well as a letter from their Head of Mission or Head of Organisation
  • Table 1, row 6: amended to reflect that, from 9 October 2023, organisations applying for a Scale-up sponsor licence under the endorsing body pathway no longer need to submit a copy of their endorsement letter; clarification added that, if applying at the same time to be licensed under any route other Scale-up, they must submit relevant documents for those routes
  • Table 4, row 1: link to list of authorised insurers has been amended to point to the Financial Services Register, as this contains the most up-to-date information
  • Table 4, rows 14 and 15: clarification on evidence required for audited accounts and annual statements
  • other minor housekeeping changes

Introduction

This document is for organisations that want to apply for a sponsor licence on the Worker, Temporary Worker or Student routes. It is an appendix to the full policy guidance on sponsoring a Worker or Temporary Worker or sponsoring a Student. It lists the documents you must send to support your application for a sponsor licence.

Supporting evidence

The following tables list the documents and information you must send to support your sponsor licence application. In most cases, you must send at least 4 documents (or, where stated, 4 combinations of documents), including any documents described below as ‘mandatory’. You may not need to send 4 documents if you are an organisation listed in Table 1.

The easiest way to work out which documents you need to send is to read through each of the following tables, starting with Table 1.

You must provide extra information if you are applying under Skilled Worker or T2 Minister of Religion. This is in addition to the 4 documents from the tables below.

Table 1 sets out some limited circumstances when you may not have to send 4 documents. If you are an organisation of the type listed in this table, you need only send the documents described, and, in some cases, you may not need to send any documents at all, unless there are documents listed in Tables 2 or 3 that are specifically required for your type of organisation or the route on which you are applying.

If you are not listed in Table 1, you should then look at Table 2.

Table 2 sets out the documents you must send if you are a start-up (operating or trading for less than 18 months), franchise, or charity, or you are subject to regulation, inspection or monitoring. These documents are mandatory for the organisations listed in this table.

Once you have identified any relevant mandatory documents in Table 2, you should then look at Table 3.

Table 3 sets out the documents which are mandatory for the route, or routes, on which you are applying.

If you have not identified 4 documents to send to us after looking at Tables 1, 2 and 3, you must then look at Table 4.

Table 4 sets out other documents you can send if you still need to make your total number of documents up to a minimum of 4.

You should make sure you have read the full Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors and/or Student sponsor guidance before you apply for your sponsor licence. The guidance has examples which explain how to put together the right documents to send to us to validate your sponsor licence application.

Format of documents

Once you have applied online for your licence, you must send the following documents:

  • the submission sheet, signed and dated by your authorising officer (all pages must be sent)

  • all of the mandatory documents listed on the submission sheet

Unless the relevant document or information is available online, you should scan or take pictures of your supporting documents and send them to the email address given on the submission sheet.

Files can be in PDF (preferred), JPEG or PNG format. File titles should be descriptive and no more than 25 characters long. To minimise file sizes, we recommend scanning in black and white or greyscale, not colour. Pictures taken by phone can be saved as Small or Medium size files. You should carefully check the quality of all scans or pictures before sending.

If you are unable to provide the submission sheet and supporting evidence electronically, you can contact us using the contact details given on the submission sheet.

Any affidavits or statutory declarations you send must have been witnessed by a qualified, independent person – for example, a solicitor, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, or (in Scotland only) a Councillor.

Any documents or other evidence that we ask to see that are not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a certified translation. The translator or translation company must confirm in writing on the translation:

  • that it’s a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’

  • the date of the translation

  • the full name and contact details of the translator or a representative of the translation company

In all cases we reserve the right to request original documents or certified copies. Original documents will be returned by Royal Mail Signed For delivery to the address of the Authorising Officer stated in the online sponsor application. Certified copies sent by post must meet the requirements set out in the sponsor guidance.

Documents or information available online

As you work though the tables, you may find that we could do an online check to obtain the information we need but will need some help from you to locate the relevant web page. If this is the case, you must tell us in a covering email or letter the address of the website where the information can be found. For example, if you are a care home in England, you must provide evidence of your registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). If that registration is in a different name to the one you have given on your licence application, you will need to tell us what name you are registered under in a covering email or letter, and provide any relevant supporting evidence to show you are the same organisation. We will then be able to look you up on the CQC website.

How soon you must send your documents

For your sponsor licence application to be valid, you must send us all of the documents within 5 working days of the date on which you submitted your online sponsor licence application.

If any of the mandatory documents are missing or incorrect, your application will be invalid. We will reject your application and refund the application fee.

If any documents specified in this appendix, other than mandatory documents, are missing from your application, or if we require any additional documents, we will contact you by email.

We will give you 5 working days to send those documents to us. If you do not send them to us within 5 working days, we will refuse your application and your fee will not be refunded.

Additional information for Skilled Worker and T2 Minister of Religion

If you are applying for a licence to sponsor workers on the Skilled Worker or T2 Minister of Religion routes, you must provide the information below (as well as the documents from the following tables) or your application will be rejected.

Tell us:

  • why are you applying for a sponsor licence

  • what sector you operate in

  • what are your opening/operating hours

You must provide a current hierarchy chart detailing any owner, director and board members. If your business has 50 employees or fewer, you must list all employees and set out the names and titles of all staff.

Tell us about the jobs you wish to fill and for which you intend to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Include the following information for each job:

  • job title and occupation code

  • duties

  • where the job sits on the hierarchy chart referred to above

  • minimum salary you would guarantee if the job were vacant today

  • skill, experience and qualifications required

You must indicate which jobs are currently vacant and for which you intend to assign a CoS. If you have already identified someone that you wish to employ via the sponsorship system, you should provide evidence of how you identified this person. If you identified this person as a result of a recruitment process, you should include copies of advertisements placed to recruit for the job, details of any applicants and why they were not suitable for the job. You should confirm whether the person is already working for you.

If you have not advertised the job and the person you wish to employ is not currently working for you, you should confirm how you identified that this person was the most suitable for the job.

If you have already identified a person, including if they are an overseas national already working for you, and intend to assign a CoS to them, you should provide the following details of the person:

  • full name

  • date of birth

  • nationality

  • current immigration status

  • current job title and duties

  • 3 months’ payslips, if applicable

Table 1: specific bodies and organisations

If you are a government department, government agency or other public body listed on the ‘Departments, agencies and public bodies’ page on GOV.UK

You do not need to send us any documents, unless there are mandatory documents listed in Table 3 that are specifically required for the route, or routes, on which you are applying.

If you are a public body not listed on the GOV.UK website at the link above

You must send us a covering letter or an email from your sponsoring government department which clearly confirms you are a public body. Alternatively, if your details are published on your sponsoring department’s website, you can include a covering email or letter giving the name of your sponsoring department so that we can do an online check.

You should also check Table 3 to see if there are any additional mandatory documents you need to send for the route, or routes, on which you are applying.

If you are a local authority or local council and your website can be found via the ‘Find your local council’ search facility on GOV.UK, or on one of the following websites:

You do not need to send us any documents, unless there are mandatory documents listed in Table 3 that are specifically required for the route, or routes, on which you are applying.

If you are applying under International Agreement as either:

You only need to send a letter as described in section IAW2 of Sponsor an International Agreement Worker. If you are applying at the same time to be licensed under any other route, check Table 3 for any route-specific documents you must send.

If you are listed on the London stock exchange (main market)

We will check your listing online and you do not need to send us any documents, unless there are mandatory documents listed in Table 2 or Table 3 that are specifically required for your type of organisation or the route, or routes, on which you are applying.

If you are applying under Scale-up

You do not need to send us any documents, unless are required to be registered with, or inspected or monitored by, a regulatory body to operate lawfully in the UK, in which case you must send any evidence or information specified for such organisations in Table 2.

If you are applying at the same time to be licensed under any other route, you must send any relevant documents from Tables 2 to 4 (unless you are otherwise an exempt organisation listed in Table 1).

Table 2: start-ups, franchises, charities and organisations subject to regulation or inspection

Start-up (operating or trading in the UK for less than 18 months on the date you make your application)

You must send us evidence that you have a current, corporate bank account with a bank registered by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the UK.

You do not have to send this evidence if you are applying under Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker.

Franchise

You must send us your franchise agreement signed by both parties.

Subject to mandatory registration or inspection

If you are required to be registered with, or inspected or monitored by, a regulatory body to operate lawfully in the UK, we will need to check that you are registered and, where relevant, see your last inspection report. Examples include but are not limited to:

  • nursing or care homes and similar businesses: you must normally be inspected by Ofsted or the Care Quality Commission or the equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

  • financial or insurance businesses carrying out regulated activities: you must be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority or the Prudential Regulation Authority

  • healthcare and medical providers: you must be registered with the General Medical Council or General Dental Council

  • food businesses: you must be registered with your local authority, or your rating must be published on the Scores on the Doors website

Where possible, we will carry out an online check so you do not need to send us any registration or inspection evidence unless we later ask you to. You must, however, state who you are regulated by and provide your registration number. We will check you and any branches you have asked to be included on your licence.

If your regulatory body does not maintain an online, public register, you must send us documentary evidence of your registration and any branches or sites you have asked to be included on your licence where appropriate.

If you have applied for your licence under a different name to the one you have given to your regulatory body, you can either send your last inspection report or send us a covering email or letter telling us the name you have given to the regulatory body so that we can do an online check.

If membership or registration with a professional body is not relevant to your application, we do not need any evidence of such a registration. This section only applies where you have to be registered with a body which has the authority to take action against you for any failings and where, if it removed your registration or authorisation, you would no longer be able to lawfully operate some or all of your business.

Charity

If you are listed on one of the following registers or websites under the same name in which you are applying for a sponsor licence, you do not need to send us any evidence of your charitable status – we will check your entry online:

If you are applying under a different name to the one under which you are registered as a charity, you must tell us the name you are registered under so we can conduct our online check, or provide additional evidence of your charitable status.

If you are based in Northern Ireland, and you are not registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, you must send us proof you have obtained charitable status for tax purposes from HMRC.

If you are an ecclesiastical corporation (corporate sole, or body corporate), you must send us proof that you are established for charitable purposes.

If you are a school with Academy status, you do not need to send us any evidence of registration.

If you are not registered according to the relevant charity legislation, you must provide with your application an explanation of why you are not registered, and any relevant supporting evidence – for example, if you are an excepted charity or an exempt charity, or otherwise not required to register.

Table 3: route-specific documents

International Sportsperson

You must send us a copy of the endorsement from the approved governing body for your sport. This must include the governing body unique reference number.

Global Business Mobility (GBM) - Service Supplier

You must provide evidence that you have an eligible contract with an overseas service provider for the supply of a service which is covered by a relevant UK trade commitment that is currently in force or being provisionally applied, and that meets the requirements set out in section GBM2 of Sponsor a Global Business Mobility worker.

Government Authorised Exchange

All applications for the Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) route must be supported by an endorsing government department (or one of its executive agencies) and be approved by us before you send your application. By the time you apply for a GAE licence, we will have already made sure that your scheme has been endorsed and approved.

This means you normally only need to send us a total of 3 documents, which should be made up of any mandatory documents from Table 2 of this appendix and any other documents from Table 4 to make your total number of documents up to 3.

If you are applying as a diplomatic mission or consular post under the Diplomatic Missions Interns Scheme, you must also send a copy of the signed Memorandum of Understanding between you and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) with your application.

Seasonal Worker

You must send us a copy of your endorsement from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

At the point you apply for a Seasonal Worker licence, you will have already been through a Request for Information exercise undertaken by Defra. If you are successful in this exercise you will then be eligible to apply for a licence under this route.

T2 Minister of Religion or Religious Worker

You must send us information about your organisation, which must include:

  • which faith or religion you belong to

  • details of your parent organisation (if any) and how you are connected to them

  • a hierarchy chart, where applicable, that shows where you are in the hierarchy

  • the size of your adult congregation

  • the number of clergy you currently employ, where applicable

  • addresses of your regular meeting places

  • your scheduled days and hours of worship

If there is a set hierarchy within your faith, you must send us a letter of support from the head of your faith body organisation (or their nominated legal representative) which confirms that you are part of that organisation.

Where applicable, you must send a copy of your ‘Form 76’ from the General Register Office giving authorisation for the use of a building as a place of worship.

Where applicable, you must send a copy of ‘Form 78’ from the General Register Office giving authorisation for marriages to be performed at a place of worship. Alternatively, if you are listed on Places of worship registered for marriage on GOV.UK, indicate this in your application and we will check your entry online.

GBM Senior or Specialist Worker or GBM Graduate Trainee

You must send us at least one of the following documents. The evidence must clearly show you are linked by common ownership or control, or through a joint venture agreement, to a qualifying overseas business:

  • an affidavit or a statutory declaration signed by a senior partner or senior executive within the UK entity, identifying all of the connected entities both in the UK and overseas

  • most recent audited accounts or an audited annual report of the head office or parent company, if this clearly shows the link between the 2 entities – if either document is available to view online, you can simply tell us a covering email or letter which website it’s available on and we will view the information online

  • if you are a UK establishment of an overseas company, you need only tell us the Companies House reference number for the UK establishment and we will check this online

  • if either entity is registered on the London Stock Exchange or one of the FCA-approved international stock exchanges, a notarised statement by the company secretary of the organisation, clearly setting out the global corporate structure with ownership percentages of each related corporate entity detailed

  • certified copy of the share register or equivalent of one or other of the entities showing ownership by the entity, or a copy of the share registers of both entities clearly showing the common parent company

  • certified copy of the agreement clearly naming both entities as parties to, or one entity as a party to and the other entity as the subject of, the agreement which allows one entity to control the composition of the other entity’s board

  • certified copy of the agreement clearly naming both entities as parties to, or one entity as a party to and the other entity as the subject of, the agreement which allows one entity to cast or control the casting of more than half the maximum number of votes that might be cast at a general meeting of the other entity

  • certified copy of the joint venture agreement clearly naming both entities as parties to the agreement, or one entity as a party to, and the other entity as the entity formed by, that agreement

  • certified copy of the agreement clearly naming both entities as parties to, or one entity as a party to and the other entity as the entity formed by, that agreement (where the agreement would constitute a joint venture agreement other than for the fact that joint venture agreements are not permitted in the country of operation, or one of the entities is not permitted to enter into joint ventures in the country of operation)

  • certified copy of the agreement which clearly shows that both entities can use a trademark which is registered or established under the laws of the UK and the jurisdiction of the other entity’s country of operation – this is only applicable to accountancy or law firms only

  • certified copy of the agreement which clearly shows that both entities can operate under the same name in the UK and in the jurisdiction of the other entity’s country of operation – this is only applicable to accountancy or law firms only

  • Articles of Association of either entity, or both entities, if these clearly show the link between the two companies

GBM: Graduate Trainee

In addition to evidence that you are linked by common ownership or control to an overseas business (as set out above), you must also provide evidence of your graduate training programme, such as a brochure for the course, evidence of recruitment for the programme, or a company website giving details of the programme.

GBM: UK Expansion Worker

Unless an exception applies, you must send evidence specified under each of the 4 numbered headings below. This will count as 4 documents. Where a combination of documents is specified under a heading, this will count as one document.

You must also send any mandatory documents listed Table 2 above if they are relevant to your business.

Any documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a certified translation.

In all cases (including where an exception applies), we reserve the right to request more information from you if necessary to decide your application.

Exception for Japanese and Australian businesses

You do not have to send the documents listed under (2)(b) below (evidence you have been trading overseas for at least 3 years) if you are either:

You must still submit the evidence listed under (1), (2)(a), (3) and (4).

You should be aware that if you do not submit the evidence under (2)(b), you will only be permitted to sponsor one person at a time. If you wish to sponsor more than one person at a time, you must also submit the evidence under (2)(b).

Exceptions for businesses listed on specified stock exchanges

You do not need to send all of the documents listed under (2), (3) or (4) below if your overseas business is listed on either:

You must tell us in your application which exception applies to you and provide us with any necessary information to confirm this (such as a link to the relevant online listing).

You must also send all of the following:

  • proof of your UK footprint, as specified under (1) below

  • a summary of your planned expansion to the UK

  • information about your overseas business, as specified under (3)(b)(i) below – you do not need to send any other evidence listed under (3)

1) Proof of your UK ‘footprint’

All businesses applying under UK Expansion Worker must show they have a UK footprint. This must be one of the following documents:

  • proof you have registered a UK branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of your overseas company with Companies House (you need only provide your Companies House reference number); or

  • evidence you have bought or leased business premises in the UK (such as a lease agreement or proof of purchase)

2) Evidence of your overseas trading presence

Unless an exception applies, you must submit the documents listed under (a) and (b) below.

(a) Evidence you have been trading overseas for at least 12 months before the date of your application

You must submit one document under sub-paragraph (i) below and one document under sub-paragraph (ii).

(i) One of the following:

  • corporate or business bank statements showing active transactions for services or goods received or provided covering a period of at least 12 months before the date of your application; or

  • audited or unaudited accounts or, where your business is not required to file such accounts, a balance sheet along with a profit and loss statement for the most recent financial year (as defined by laws applicable to the overseas business), together with an accountant’s certificate of confirmation – this certificate should include confirmation of the accountant’s registration with any appropriate regulatory body in the country in which those accounts have been produced

(ii) One of the following:

  • copies of contracts for goods or services covering at least the 12-month period before the date of application; or

  • evidence of advertising for services or goods offered by your overseas business

(b) Evidence your business was trading overseas 3 years before the date of application – this should be at least one of the following:

  • business accounts for the relevant period (these must be audited if required by the applicable laws in the jurisdiction in which your business is based)

  • corporate or business bank statements for the relevant period

  • contracts for goods and services for the relevant period

  • annual reports and investor information for the relevant period

  • any other credible evidence to show you were actively trading during this period

3) Evidence of your planned expansion to the UK

Unless an exception applies, you must send one document listed under (a) and two listed under (b) below.

(a) Evidence of your capability to fund your planned expansion, which must show that you have funds available to cover the initial costs for the first 12 months, as projected in your expansion plan – at least one of the following:

  • corporate or business bank statements showing transactions from the 12-month period before the date of application (if not already submitted under 2(a)(i) above)

  • a letter from your corporate banking provider, setting out the dealings it has had with you, including the nature and duration of those dealings

(b) Evidence of your expansion plans – unless an exception applies, you must send at least 2 of the following:

(i) A summary of your overseas business, which must include all of the following:

  • information about which sector, or sectors, you operate in

  • a current hierarchy chart for the overseas business detailing any owner, director and board members and the total number of employees

  • information about any jobs you intend to fill in the UK, including the job title, occupation code, and salary

(ii) A business plan or other document summarising the last 12 months’ activity of the overseas company, its financial position, reasons for expansion, the proposed overall investment in the UK and projected operating costs or expenditure for at least the first 12 months of operating in the UK.

(iii) Evidence of market research conducted and detailed reasoning for choosing the UK as a viable market to expand to (if not included in the business plan).

(iv) Where the expansion is subject to a shareholder vote process, as detailed in the company’s original articles of incorporation or equivalent, you must send evidence that this process has been followed (this may form part of the company’s filed accounts).

(v) Where the evidence under (3)(b)(ii) or (3)(b)(iii) above has been produced either wholly or in part by a third party (for example, where market research was outsourced to a specialist company) you must also include certified copies of the contract or agreement for that piece of work with the third party.

4) Other documents

Unless an exception applies, you must also send at least one of the following:

  • annual reports and investor information

  • evidence of engagement with, or advice sought from, specialist advice companies, such as company formation businesses, relocation firms, UK corporate law services, tax services, or the British Chamber of Commerce

  • details of any recruitment campaigns you have run, or plan to run, in the UK for employees of the UK business once trading begins

  • Articles of Association (or equivalent document) for your overseas business

  • details of any tendering or other process where any activity relating to your business expansion plan, such as the commission of market research, has been conducted by an independent third party

  • any document listed in Table 4

GBM: Secondment Worker

Evidence you have a contract with an overseas business for goods or investment worth at least £10 million per year, and no less than £50 million in total.

Student or Child Student

You must demonstrate that you meet the requirements of the Student sponsor guidance.

You must provide all the following documentation:

  • proof that you are based in the UK

  • proof that you are operating and trading lawfully in the UK

  • proof that you have registered for VAT with HM Revenue and Customs where required to do so

  • a written record of a fire risk assessment conducted by a competent person

  • evidence to show that you have appropriate planning permission or local planning authority consent to operate the relevant type or class of organisation at your trading address

  • any documentation which is required to demonstrate that your sites, exceptional arrangements and/or partnerships, where applicable, meet all of the relevant requirements of the ‘Sites and teaching partnerships’ section of Document 1 of the Student sponsor guidance

Note: that we may ask for other documents at any time.

If you are a new independent school, you must send evidence that you have been formally registered by the relevant Government Department in your country as follows:

  • England: your School Number, issued by the Department for Education

  • Scotland: your Scottish Executive Education Department code

  • Northern Ireland: your confirmation of registration letter from the Department of Education Northern Ireland, School Governance Team

  • Wales: your confirmation of registration letter from the Welsh Assembly Government, School Governance Team, which will include your unique school reference number

If you are an overseas HEI offering short-term ‘study abroad’ programmes in your own premises in the UK to students who are enrolled in their home country, you must provide all of the following:

  • overseas accreditation, which can be confirmed by Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC), that your programmes are UK Higher Education equivalents; this overseas accreditation must be from a nationally recognised accrediting body clearly stating their name and be accompanied by a certified copy of the appropriate web page for the institution showing that accreditation

  • proof that you only teach part of your programmes in the UK - the information you provide should verify that students are studying in the UK for no more than 50% of the total length of the course and must include either of the following:

    • original letter from the home campus confirming the above

    • original brochure/leaflet/catalogue confirming the above

    • certified copy of appropriate information from the institutional web site confirming the above

  • proof that you have full legal control of the premises you use – such as original or certified copy of licence, lease, or proof of ownership

If you offer study abroad programmes on a franchise basis via a third party in the UK, you will need to ensure that the private provider you are linked with meets our educational oversight requirements and send evidence of the contractual agreement.

Table 4: other documents you can send

Evidence you have employer’s liability insurance cover for at least £5m from an insurer authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Proof of your listing on the London Stock Exchange AIM market.

Proof of your listing as an overseas company on the London Stock Exchange International Companies listing.

Proof of your listing on one of the Financial Conduct Authority approved international stock exchanges.

Proof of registration with HMRC as self-employed. If you are a partnership, you must provide each partner’s Unique Tax Reference Number (UTR) and/or the Unique Tax Reference Number (UTR) of the partnership or business. Proof of registration must be original or certified copies of documentation issued by HMRC.

Your latest annual self-assessment tax return to HMRC (SA300 or SA302).

Proof of registration with HMRC as an employer for PAYE and National Insurance. This must be a document issued by HMRC and include your PAYE Reference Number and your Accounts Office Reference Number.

Your latest acknowledgement of a Company Tax Return (CT620, or the completed CT600 tax return and the CT603 notice).

Your HMRC VAT registration certificate confirming your VAT registration number and ‘effective date of registration’, if you are required to register for VAT. Alternatively, you can tell us your VAT registration number (either in the online sponsor licence application form or in a covering email or letter) and we can check your registration online.

Evidence of submitting returns to the HMRC – Foreign Entertainers Unit.

Proof of ownership or lease of your business premises. If you send a copy of your lease agreement, it must be signed by all parties concerned.

Evidence that you have the appropriate planning permission to operate your type or class of business at your trading address where this is a Local Authority requirement.

Licence for your premises to serve alcohol issued by the local authority or court.

Your most recent annual accounts. If this information is freely available to view online (for example, on the Companies House website), you can simply tell us the relevant website address and we will check this online. If the information is not available to view online (or is only available for a fee), you must send us the relevant documents.

If you are legally required under the Companies Act 2006 to file audited accounts, you must ensure they have been audited by a person who is all of the following:

The name of the auditor must clearly be shown. If you are not legally required to file audited accounts, you should ensure any accountant you use to prepare or certify your accounts is a member of a recognised professional accountancy body and their name should be clearly shown on the accounts.

Your most recent audited annual financial statement or audited annual report. The name of the auditor must be clearly shown and meet the requirements for auditors set out in the previous row. If this information is freely available to view online (for example, on the Companies House website), you can simply tell us the relevant website address and we will check this online. If the information is not available to view online (or is only available for a fee), you must send us the relevant documents.

Your latest corporate or business bank statement and/or a letter from your bank setting out the dealings it has had with you, including the nature and duration of its dealings. If you submit both of these documents, they will only count as one document towards the minimum document total of 4, unless you are a ‘start-up’ (as described in Table 2), in which case they can count as 2 documents.

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