Free Companies House data to boost UK economy
Companies House is to make all of its digital data available free of charge.
Companies House is to make all of its digital data available free of charge. This will make the UK the first country to establish a truly open register of business information.
As a result, it will be easier for businesses and members of the public to research and scrutinise the activities and ownership of companies and connected individuals. Last year (2013/14), customers searching the Companies House website spent £8.7 million accessing company information on the register.
This is a considerable step forward in improving corporate transparency; a key strand of the G8 declaration at the Lough Erne summit in 2013.
It will also open up opportunities for entrepreneurs to come up with innovative ways of using the information.
This change will come into effect from the second quarter of 2015 (April – June).
Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
"The government firmly believes that the best way to maximise the value to the UK economy of the information which Companies House holds, is for it to be available as open data. By making its data freely available and free of charge, Companies House is making the UK a more transparent, efficient and effective place to do business.
"Today’s commitments cement the UK’s position as a leader in the open data agenda."
Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude said:
"The UK is an international leader in open data because it sharpens accountability, exposes waste and informs choice over public services. It is also the raw material of our age, providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to create new data-led businesses and fuel growth as part of this government’s long-term economic plan.
"Today’s announcement underlines our commitment to ensuring that data of most value to citizens and businesses is released and is as widely accessible as possible."
Chair of the Public Data Group Claudia Arney said:
"The Public Data Group’s vast array of data is already being used to power a great range of products. With the PDG Summer Statement we’re aiming to encourage even more people to explore and use their data.
"The commitments seek to indicate what future open data sets will be released as well as setting out actions to enhance and improve the data’s usability."
This commitment is part of a Public Data Group (PDG) Summer Statement that sets out a range of activities and planned data releases by Companies House, Land Registry, Met Office and Ordnance Survey. These include Land Registry expanding its monthly property price data to include commercial properties and Ordnance Survey supporting innovation around flood related issues through the release of river network information. The most recent estimate placed the value of the PDG’s Open Data to the UK economy at over £900 million a year. The Statement also commits PDG members to a review of how their licences can be more easily used by developers.
The PDG Summer Statement itself forms part of an updated Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Open Data Strategy, also published today (15 July 2014), which sets out support for open data across BIS and its partner organisations. These activities include the creation of the Open Data Institute, Innovation Vouchers from the Technology Strategy Board and the work of the Research Councils, as well as activities in higher and further education.