Companies House as a Tool for Investigative Journalism

This session will focus on how to find information on Companies House, how to use its search tools to find meaningful data and how to interpret the information you come across. Companies House isn’t a tool designed to be used by journalists, therefore, when used that way, it’s important to look out for the relevant bits while being aware of potentially misleading or even false information.

What’s behind a registered address? A director or a shareholder? What can we trust and how can we use the information we’re given to advance our investigations?

This session makes a good introduction to Understanding Company Accounts 1-4 – a very popular course taught by a forensic accountant and a friend to many investigative journalists Raj Bairoliya.

26 June 2025 – Companies House as a Tool for Investigative Journalism

10:20–11:20

Diogo Augusto

Diogo Augusto comes from a background in Sociology, having worked as a lecturer and researcher for 10 years in universities in Portugal and Belize. As a sociologist he specialised in cultural and political issues.

26 June 2025 10.20–11.20

Location: LG 01

Class

All levels

Financial

Upcoming:

27 June 2025

Understanding Company Accounts 1-4

This mini course taught by a journalist-friendly forensic accountant will show you how to understand company accounts and get beyond the corporate PR spin. The emphasis will be on teaching practical skills rather than a series of lectures.

The Investigative Journalist’s Guide to Company Accounts

by Raj Bairoliya

An introduction from the author, Raj Bairoliya A little history is in order. A dozen or so years ago, I was complaining to my friend Michael Gillard about the standard of financial investigative journalism in the UK – it was a matter of serious concern to me as I make my living from investigating wrongdoing.

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