Confirmation statement
Confirmation statement due? Check every line Companies House hold before you confirm it.
It's called a confirmation statement because you are confirming the public record about your company is right. standing.tax puts that record in front of you, one item at a time, so nothing gets confirmed by accident.
You can prepare everything now; sending to HMRC and Companies House opens soon.
What the confirmation statement is
Every year you check that what Companies House hold about your company is right. That check is the confirmation statement.(source 1) It covers the registered office, directors, secretary and where the records are kept; the share capital and shareholders; the SIC code; and the people with significant control.(source 2)
It isn't your accounts, and it says nothing about how the company traded. The two are easy to mix up; the confirmation statement compared with the accounts sets out the difference.
When it's due
- You file at least one every 12 months, and up to 14 days after the review period ends.(source 3)
- The review period ends 12 months after the date on your last statement, or after the date the company was incorporated if this is its first.(source 4)
- You can file early, and a new review period starts when you do.(source 5)
What standing.tax does
- Go through what Companies House hold about your company, item by item, and prepare the year's confirmation statement. Their fee is shown before you agree to it.
- You give your company's authentication code once. It's kept encrypted, never shown again, and put only on the filings you approve.
- An email reminder 30 days and 7 days before your accounts, confirmation statement and Corporation Tax deadlines.
- Each filing sent from here is kept with what was sent and what came back.
If something has changed
Only some changes can be made in the statement itself: the SIC code, the share capital, the trading status of shares, the exemption from reporting people with significant control, and the shareholders. Other changes are reported separately.(source 6) It must give Companies House an email address if you haven't given one already. That address isn't published on the register.(source 7)
If it isn't filed
Not filing it can mean a fine of up to £5,000, and the company may be struck off.(source 8) A company that doesn't send its accounts or confirmation statement can be fined and struck off the register.(source 9)
Whether someone counts as a person with significant control can turn on how the company is owned and run: if it isn't clear, that's one for an accountant.
Questions people ask
What does Companies House charge?
Companies House charge £50 to file it online and £110 by post.(source 10)
standing.tax shows you Companies House's fee before you agree to it, as its own line.
Can I file it before it's due?
You can file early, and a new review period starts when you do.(source 5)
Does a dormant company file one?
A dormant company still files its confirmation statement and annual accounts with Companies House.(source 11)
Where these rules come from
Each numbered sentence above is our plain-English version of GOV.UK’s own words, which are below with a link to the page they come from.
- 1.
“You need to check that the information Companies House has about your company is correct every year. This is called a confirmation statement.”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 2.
“You need to check the following: the details of your registered office, directors, secretary and the address where you keep your records your statement of capital and shareholder information if your company has shares your SIC code (the number that identifies what your company does) your 'people with significant control'”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 3.
“You must review your records and file at least one confirmation statement every 12 months. You can file your statement up to 14 days after the review period has ended.”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 4.
“The review period ends 12 months after either: the 'confirmation statement date' on your last confirmation statement the date your company incorporated (if you're filing your first confirmation statement)”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 5.
“If you file early, a new review period will start.”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 6.
“You can only use your confirmation statement to report changes to your: SIC code statement of capital trading status of shares exemption from reporting your 'people with significant control' information to Companies House shareholder information You must tell Companies House about other changes to your limited company.”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 7.
“You must provide an email address in your confirmation statement if you have not already provided one. Companies House will use this email address to contact you about your company. You must read any emails that your company receives. Your email address will not be published on the public register.”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 8.
“You can be fined up to £5,000 and your company may be struck off if you do not file your confirmation statement.”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 9.
“You can be fined and your company struck off the register if you do not send Companies House your accounts or confirmation statement.”
GOV.UK: Prepare annual accounts for a private limited company - 10.
“It costs £50 to file your confirmation statement online, and £110 by post.”
GOV.UK: Running a limited company: your responsibilities - 11.
“You must file your confirmation statement (previously annual return) and annual accounts with Companies House even if your limited company is: dormant for Corporation Tax dormant according to Companies House”
GOV.UK: Dormant companies and associations
