What Companies House is (and isn't)
Companies House is the registrar: it incorporates companies, keeps the public record anyone can search, and enforces company transparency law. It is not the tax authority — that’s HMRC, a completely separate body with its own deadlines and penalties. Almost every limited company deals with both, every year. Confusing the two is the single most common source of missed deadlines.
What you must file
- Annual accounts — statutory accounts in the format for your company size (micro-entity, small, or larger), due 9 months after your accounting reference date; first accounts 21 months after incorporation
- Confirmation statement (CS01) — confirming your registered details are correct, at least every 12 months, within 14 days of the review period ending
- Changes, as they happen — appointing/removing directors, registered office and email changes, PSC changes, share allotments (usually within 14 days; allotments within a month)
Deadlines and fees at a glance
| Filing / action | Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporation | — | £50 online |
| Annual accounts | 9 months after year end | Free |
| Confirmation statement | Every 12 months + 14 days | £34 online |
| Voluntary strike-off (DS01) | When closing | £33 online |
Penalties and enforcement
Late accounts trigger an automatic penalty from £150 to £1,500 for a private company, doubled if you were late the previous year too. A late confirmation statement carries no fine but is an offence and the usual trigger for compulsory strike-off. Directors can be prosecuted for persistent failures, and in serious cases disqualified.
People with significant control (PSCs)
Since 2016, companies must identify and record their PSCs — broadly anyone owning more than 25% of shares or voting rights, or otherwise controlling the company — on the public register and on each confirmation statement. Keeping the PSC register accurate is a legal duty.
Identity verification — the big 2025/26 change
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act introduced mandatory identity verification for directors and PSCs. New directors have needed to verify since 18 November 2025; existing directors verify during the transition period alongside their confirmation statement. It’s free via GOV.UK One Login, or an authorised agent (like an accountant) can verify you.
Starting and closing a company
Companies House both creates and dissolves companies. Forming one takes minutes but the decisions behind it (structure, shares, registrations) repay doing properly. Closing a solvent company you no longer need is usually a voluntary strike-off via form DS01.
Let us handle Companies House for you
We keep client companies compliant across the board — accounts, confirmation statements, changes and deadline tracking — so nothing slips. Digital Tax Service is a trading name of Shreeve Hallam Jones. Call 0114 327 1480.