Companies House Accounts Filing Changes: What Your Organisation Needs to Know

Companies House has confirmed that significant changes to annual accounts filing requirements will come into force from 1 April 2028. The changes form part of the government's wider efforts to improve transparency and tackle economic crime under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

While the deadline is still some way off, companies are being encouraged to start preparing now.

What is changing?

From 1 April 2028, all companies registered with Companies House will be required to submit their annual accounts using commercial software. Paper filing and Companies House's existing web filing route for accounts will no longer be available.

In addition, small companies and micro-entities will need to file a profit and loss account as part of their annual accounts, bringing them into line with larger organisations.

Privacy protection for smaller organisations

Following feedback from businesses and other stakeholders, the government has introduced an important safeguard. Small companies and micro-entities will be able to opt out of having their profit and loss account published on the public register. Companies House has said that further details about how this process will work will be announced in due course.

More time to prepare

The reforms were originally due to start in April 2027 but have now been delayed by a year. This gives organisations a full accounting year plus a further nine months to prepare for the new requirements – a total of 21 months.

What should you do now?

If your organisation already files accounts through an accountant, bookkeeper or software package, you may not need to make any changes. However, it is worth checking with your accountant or filing agent to make sure you are ready for the new rules.

If you currently submit accounts through Companies House's web service or by paper, you should begin planning for a move to software filing.

Companies House recommends that organisations:

• Check what type of accounts they file.
• Ensure they have their company authentication code.
• Apply for a Companies House presenter account if required.
• Use the Companies House software finder to identify suitable filing software.
• Speak to software providers and consider moving to digital filing well before the deadline.
• Be ready to file accounts through software from April 2028.

Useful resources

For more information and updates, visit:

Companies House accounts filing changes from April 2028

Changes to UK company law guidance

Companies House software finder tool

Companies House has confirmed that further guidance and support materials will be published over the coming months to help organisations prepare for the transition.

Although 2028 may seem a long way off, organisations that currently rely on paper or web-based filing may benefit from starting their preparations early.