Missed Companies House filing deadline

Hello there! I am Gemma, a legal assistant here at Lawyer Destroyer. Missing a deadline with Companies House is a very common worry, but it is important to try and get things updated as quickly as possible so the problem does not get worse.

The exact consequences depend on exactly which document you have missed, but I have broken down the most common ones for you below.

Missing an annual accounts deadline:

This is the most strictly enforced deadline. If you file your annual accounts late, Companies House will automatically issue a financial penalty. For a private limited company, the fines increase the longer you leave it.

Currently, the penalties are 150 pounds if you are up to one month late, 375 pounds for one to three months late, 750 pounds for three to six months late, and 1,500 pounds if you are more than six months late. If you file late two years in a row, the penalty for that second year is automatically doubled.

Missing a confirmation statement deadline:

Unlike annual accounts, there is no automatic financial penalty for missing your confirmation statement. However, failing to file it is technically a criminal offence, and the directors can be personally prosecuted and fined in the magistrates court if it is ignored.

The risk of the company being struck off:

Whether you miss your accounts or your confirmation statement, the biggest practical danger by far is that Companies House will eventually assume your company is no longer operating. If you ignore their warning letters, they will advertise their intention to strike the company off the register and dissolve it.

If your company is struck off, it ceases to legally exist. Any company bank accounts will be strictly frozen, and any money or assets belonging to the company will automatically pass to the Crown. Restoring a company to the register to get your money back involves a very slow, stressful, and expensive court process, so this situation is best avoided.

Missing deadlines for other company changes:

If you miss the deadline to report a change of directors, a new registered office address, or a change to your people with significant control, there is usually a 14 day window to tell Companies House. If you miss this, you can face fines, but practically speaking, Companies House usually just wants you to fix it so the public record is accurate.

Practical next steps:

1. Figure out exactly what is missing and file the document straight away. You do not need to wait for Companies House to contact you. Filing immediately limits any further financial penalties and stops any strike-off action in its tracks.

2. Pay any automatic penalty promptly. If you have been issued a penalty for late accounts, it is usually best to pay it quickly to avoid debt collection action.

3. Consider an appeal only if you have an exceptional reason. You can appeal a late accounts filing penalty online, but Companies House is notoriously strict. They will only agree if something entirely unforeseeable and exceptional happened, such as a fire destroying your records days before the deadline or an unexpected serious medical emergency. They will generally not accept excuses like forgetting, your accountant being too busy, or being unaware of the deadline.

4. Check your registered office post. Companies House will send formal warnings before they take serious steps like striking off your company or passing a fine to debt collectors. Make sure you are receiving and reading these letters so you are not caught off guard.

I hope this helps you get everything sorted out cleanly and quickly. If you have a specific document in mind or you have received a specific letter from Companies House, just let me know and we can look at your exact situation.