Dormant Company Accounts Filing in Llantrisant

Dormant company accounts are the annual accounts a company prepares for Companies House when it has been dormant for the relevant financial period — generally because it has had no significant accounting transactions. They are a reduced form of annual accounts rather than plain trading accounts, and they still need to be prepared in line with the applicable Companies House rules and filed for the correct period. Many dormant companies have very little to record, but that does not mean nothing has to be filed. The exact content and format depend on your company's circumstances, so it is worth confirming how the rules apply to you before submitting anything.

Broadly, a company is dormant for Companies House purposes when it has no significant accounting transactions during the period in question. Certain transactions are usually disregarded for this purpose, such as money paid to Companies House for filing fees, so a small number of payments does not necessarily take you outside dormancy — but the position depends on the specific transactions and the rules in force. Importantly, you cannot simply decide to treat your company as dormant: the test is based on the company's activity during the period. If you are unsure whether your transactions allow dormant accounts to be prepared, review the detail of what has gone through the company before deciding which accounts to file.

Generally, yes. A company that is dormant for Companies House purposes normally still needs to file annual accounts and a confirmation statement each year, unless it has been formally dissolved or a specific rule applies. Dormant status is not an exemption from company filing requirements. The two filings are separate: annual accounts report the company's financial position, while the confirmation statement confirms that the information Companies House holds about the company — such as its registered office, directors and shareholders — is correct. Keeping both up to date helps ensure your company's public record stays accurate.

Yes, they are prepared on a different basis. A dormant company may have far less to report and may be able to prepare simplified accounts with limited disclosures, whereas an active trading company prepares full accounts reflecting its income, expenses, assets and liabilities. Dormant accounts are therefore usually shorter and simpler, but they must still be prepared in accordance with the applicable Companies House rules for the period. It is also worth noting that dormant company accounts are not a substitute for a Confirmation Statement or a Corporation Tax Return — those are separate obligations with separate deadlines.

No, and this is one of the most common sources of confusion. Companies House dormancy and HMRC dormancy are separate concepts with separate rules and separate consequences. A company may be dormant for Companies House purposes but not for Corporation Tax, or the reverse. Filing dormant accounts with Companies House does not automatically notify HMRC that your company is dormant, and it does not automatically stop any Corporation Tax obligations you may have. If you think your company may be dormant for tax purposes, that is a conversation to have with HMRC or your tax adviser directly.

It depends on your circumstances and on HMRC's requirements, so it is not something that can be answered with a blanket yes or no. A Corporation Tax Return is a separate HMRC obligation and is not submitted to Companies House. Even where you believe your company is dormant, HMRC may still expect a return or may need to be told about your situation before anything changes. Because the rules differ from those that apply to Companies House filings, it is important to check your position with HMRC rather than assuming that dormant accounts filed at Companies House cover you.

As a starting point, we will typically need your company name and registration number, the accounting period we are preparing accounts for, and details of anything that has passed through the company during that period — for example bank interest, bank charges, or money received from the issue of shares. We may also ask about the company's structure and whether there have been any changes to directors or shareholders. Because the requirements depend on your company's specific circumstances, we will confirm exactly what is needed once we understand your position, so you are not asked for information that is not relevant.

Yes, we can help in many cases, but the right approach depends on where the company is in the closure process. If the company is still registered, it may still have annual filing obligations — including dormant accounts and a confirmation statement — even if you intend to close it, and missing those filings can complicate matters later. If the company has already been formally dissolved, the position is different again. We will look at your company's actual status before advising what needs to be filed and when, and we will explain the options clearly so you can move forward with confidence.