The Government has announced plans to simplify corporate reporting and reduce the administrative burden placed on UK businesses. It estimates that the proposed reforms could save businesses more than £450 million each year.
The measures are expected to include replacing some paper-based reporting
An important change is coming to the way companies file their annual accounts.
From 1 April 2028, all UK-registered companies will be required to file their annual accounts with Companies House using commercial software. The existing web and paper filing routes for company accounts will close.
The
Most company directors are aware that they must file annual accounts and a confirmation statement with Companies House. However, missing these deadlines can lead to unnecessary costs and, in some cases, much more serious consequences.
The most common financial penalties apply to the late filing of
The Government has confirmed that important changes to Companies House filing requirements will now take effect from April 2028 (rather than April 2027), giving small companies and micro-entities additional time to prepare for the new rules.
One of the most significant changes is the requirement
Companies House has published its business plan for 2026-27, setting out its priorities for the coming year as it continues to implement major reforms aimed at improving the quality of information held on the UK companies register and tackling economic crime.
A key objective is to improve the
Identity verification requirements at Companies House became a legal requirement for directors and people with significant control (PSCs) from 18 November 2025. This date marked the start of a 12-month transition period for identity verification.
Companies House is introducing the new requirements
There has been considerable discussion over the past year about whether small companies would be required to file profit and loss accounts at Companies House. Many practitioners will be aware that proposals were introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 which signalled
A Companies House blunder has raised concerns after a flaw in the WebFiling service briefly exposed sensitive company data. The issue, identified on 13 March 2026, meant that a logged-in user could potentially access and amend limited details of another company by carrying out a specific sequence of
Bona vacantia is Latin term meaning “ownerless goods”. The bodies that deal with bona vacantia claims vary across the United Kingdom, but they all ultimately represent the Crown.
Under company law, when a company is dissolved, any remaining rights or property automatically pass to the
A person with significant control (PSC) is someone who owns or exercises significant influence over a company. They can also be referred to as a “beneficial owner”.
Every UK company is required to identify its PSCs and register their details with Companies House. A company can have one