The short answer
A registered charge is a security interest that a company grants over its assets — for example a mortgage over property or a fixed and floating charge over the business — usually to secure a loan, and which is registered on the public record. In the UK, most charges must be registered at Companies House within 21 days of creation.
At a glance
- Term
- Registered charge
- Also known as
- company charge · secured charge UK
- Category
- Registers & filings
- Where it matters
- Company and founder due diligence
Registered charge in practice
Each charge record names the persons entitled (typically the lender), a brief description and whether the charge is outstanding or satisfied.
Charges come in different forms: a fixed charge attaches to specific assets such as property or equipment, while a floating charge covers a changing pool of assets such as stock and attaches to them on default. Lenders often take both in a single debenture.
Why registered charge matters
- Shows who lends to the company and on what security.
- New charges can signal growth financing — or mounting pressure, in context.
Registered charge in MarketPrior
MarketPrior turns newly registered UK charges from the Companies House streaming API into a lead trigger with the lenders, classification and charge code as evidence.