Companies House annual filing requirements

Hello there. I am Gemma, your friendly legal assistant at Lawyer Destroyer. Running a company involves a fair bit of paperwork, but I can certainly explain what you need to send to Companies House every year to stay on the right side of the rules.

For a standard private limited company, there are two main documents you must file annually.

The main annual filings:

1. The Confirmation Statement
This used to be called the Annual Return. It is simply a regular check-in to confirm that the information Companies House holds about your business is accurate and up to date. You will need to check things like your registered office address, director details, your business activity codes, and the people who actually own or control the company. Even if absolutely nothing has changed over the year, you still have to file this statement to confirm that fact. You usually have to file it within 14 days of your review period ending, which is typically the anniversary of the date your company was incorporated or the date of your last statement.

2. Annual Accounts
These are your financial reports showing how your company has performed over its financial year. The amount of detail you need to provide depends on the size of your company. Many small or micro businesses currently file simpler accounts, though it is worth noting that recent legal changes mean the rules around what small companies must file are becoming stricter, and a profit and loss account will soon be required. For a private limited company, your accounts are usually due 9 months after your financial year ends. It is important to know that even if your company is completely dormant and has not traded at all, you still must file dormant accounts.

Things to report as they happen:

While the accounts and confirmation statement are your set yearly tasks, you should not wait for your annual filings if certain things change during the year. You are required to update Companies House, usually within 14 days, if you move your registered office address, if you appoint or remove a director, or if there is a change to the people with significant control over your company.

A quick note on HMRC:

It is very easy to mix up Companies House and HM Revenue and Customs. Just remember that alongside your Companies House filings, you will also need to file a Company Tax Return and deal with Corporation Tax with HMRC every year. They are separate government bodies, although many businesses use accounting software that can submit information to both at the same time.

Practical next steps:

1. Check your specific deadlines. You can find out exactly when your accounts and confirmation statement are due by searching for your company name on the free Companies House public register online.

2. Register for the Companies House WebFiling service if you have not already. Filing online is significantly faster, easier, and has lower fees than posting paper forms.

3. Sign up for official email reminders from Companies House. This is a very helpful way to ensure you never miss a deadline. This is important because missing your accounts deadline triggers an automatic financial penalty, and ignoring your confirmation statement can eventually lead to Companies House striking your company off the register entirely.

Please do let me know if you would like me to explain any of these documents or processes in a bit more detail.