WHITO GLOSSARY · MEASURED DEFINITIONS
The name a business trades under, which need not match any registered company. Of 164 UK trade names checked against Companies House, 48, or 29%, did not resolve to an active company.
The number: UK Trade Names Register Check.
What it means in practice
A trading name is a shop sign, not an identity. The gap between the name on the van and the name on the register is where bad actors live and good businesses lose trust.
If you trade under a name, put your registered company name and number on your website and invoices. If you are buying, match the name to the register before money moves.
Whito stage: Any stage. Use it before you sign anything.
The numbers to hold onto
- Failure ran from 0% on one directory to 55% on another. UK Trade Names Register Check.
- 29 of 100 limited-company directory listings failed the same check. UK Directory Dead Listings Study.
Where to go next
- The trade names register check
- The dead listings study
- A directory that checks names against the register
Related: Companies House check, Dead listing, The register-confirmed share