The following provisions of the Companies Act 2006 come into force on 1st October 2008:

• A "whitewash" procedure is no longer required where financial assistance is given by private companies.
• At least one director must be a natural person as opposed to a company. The company secretary can still be a corporate body. There will be a grace period until October 2010 for companies which did not have a natural person as a director as at the date of Royal Assent of the Act (08 November 2006).
• Persons under the age of 16 automatically cease to be directors (Companies House does not have to be notified). From 06 April 2007, directors of PLCs can carry on after the age of 70.