Dormant Company Accounts Filing in Tiverton

Dormant company accounts are the annual accounts a company prepares for an accounting period in which it has been dormant for Companies House purposes — broadly, a period with no significant accounting transactions. They are not evidence that a company has been closed or dissolved: the company remains registered at Companies House with continuing obligations. The accounts simply reflect the company's dormant position for that period and are filed at Companies House where the rules require it. Because the requirements depend on the individual company and the applicable Companies House rules, it is worth checking which route fits your circumstances before filing.

For Companies House purposes, a company is generally treated as dormant when it has no significant accounting transactions in the relevant accounting period. Certain transactions are disregarded when applying that test, so a company can sometimes have a small amount of activity and still be dormant — while in other cases a transaction will mean the company is not dormant at all. Being dormant for Companies House is a specific accounting and filing position, not simply a matter of the director deciding the company is inactive. If you are unsure where your company sits, it is sensible to check before preparing or filing anything.

In most cases, yes. A company that is dormant for Companies House purposes will usually still need to file annual accounts for each relevant period, unless the company has been formally dissolved or another specific rule applies. Being dormant does not mean the company has no filing responsibilities. The nature of the accounts and the filing route can vary depending on the company's circumstances and the applicable Companies House rules, so the practical answer for your company may differ from someone else's.

Normally yes. A confirmation statement is a separate Companies House filing from dormant company accounts, and it is usually required at least once every 12 months to confirm that the information on the public register — such as the registered office, directors, shareholders and share capital — is correct. A confirmation statement does not replace annual accounts, and dormant company accounts do not replace a confirmation statement. Directors generally need to keep both obligations in view while the company remains registered.

Dormant company accounts are prepared for a company with no significant accounting transactions, so they are far more limited than the accounts of a trading company. A trading company's accounts typically include a profit and loss account, detailed notes on income and expenditure, and often more involved disclosures, whereas a dormant company may have different accounting requirements altogether. Not every dormant company can use the same form or filing route, however — eligibility depends on the company's particular circumstances and the applicable Companies House rules. Even where simplified accounts are appropriate, directors are still responsible for keeping adequate accounting records and for making sure the accounts give a correct picture of the company's position.

No — these are two different concepts and they are administered separately. Companies House dormancy relates to whether a company has had significant accounting transactions for accounts and filing purposes. HMRC dormancy relates to Corporation Tax: broadly, whether a company has any liability to Corporation Tax and whether it is within the charge to it. A company can be dormant for one purpose and not the other, and filing dormant accounts with Companies House does not automatically notify HMRC that the company is dormant, nor does it automatically change the company's Corporation Tax position. If you need to tell HMRC about your company's status, or you are unsure whether a Company Tax Return (CT600) is still due, that is a separate matter to deal with directly with HMRC or with an accountant.

It depends entirely on the nature of the transaction. A company can sometimes have transactions during a period and still be dormant for Companies House purposes, because certain entries are disregarded when applying the dormancy test. If the activity goes beyond what is disregarded, the company may not be dormant for that period and may need to prepare and file different accounts instead. This is why keeping clear accounting records matters: the records show what actually happened, so the correct position can be established rather than assumed. If the picture is unclear, it is worth getting advice before the filing is submitted.

Yes. An accountant can review your company's position, confirm whether it qualifies as dormant for Companies House purposes for the relevant period, prepare the appropriate dormant company accounts and submit them to Companies House on your behalf. Many directors also ask for help with the separate confirmation statement, since that is a different filing with its own information requirements. Working with someone who deals with dormant company filing regularly can take the guesswork out of what is due, help you keep your Companies House records consistent, and give you a clear record of what has been filed and when.