Which identifier should I enter?
Use the Companies House company number where available. It identifies a record more reliably than a name-only search and reduces ambiguous candidates.
United Kingdom official sources
UK company checks with registry and VAT evidence kept separate
Review Companies House registration evidence and HMRC VAT test responses in their correct operating mode.
Companies House supports legal-entity identification and status. The current HMRC VAT integration operates in the official sandbox and therefore returns test data, not production VAT evidence.
- Companies House identity review
- Company-number disambiguation
- HMRC integration testing
Verification workflow
A controlled route from identifier to evidence.
- 01
Use the company number where possible
A UK company number is more reliable than a name-only search for identifying a record.
- 02
Review Companies House evidence
Status, name, incorporation and registered address are shown when the official response includes them.
- 03
Treat HMRC sandbox correctly
Sandbox responses are visibly labelled test data and must not be used as production VAT confirmation.
Evidence guide
What this check means in practice.
What does Companies House confirm?
The returned record can provide company name, company number, status, incorporation date and registered office. Availability depends on the official response.
What happens with ambiguous names?
Candidate records may be shown for review, but SENTINEL does not select one as verified unless conservative identification criteria are met.
Is HMRC VAT live production evidence?
No. The current HMRC integration uses the official sandbox. Its responses are explicitly labelled TEST DATA / HMRC SANDBOX and are not production VAT verification.
Open the workspace
Start with the company details you have.
SENTINEL will show which official routes apply and preserve each provider’s response state.