Confirmation Statement Filing in Harborough — Keep Your Companies House Record Accurate

A confirmation statement is a filing made to Companies House that confirms the information held about your company is accurate and up to date. It is sometimes referred to by its form name, CS01. Rather than reporting financial results, it asks you to check the details on the public register — such as your registered office, directors, shareholders, people with significant control and company activities — and either confirm they are correct or update them. The confirmation statement is a distinct filing from your statutory annual accounts and from your Corporation Tax Return, so filing one does not satisfy the others.

As a general rule, any company registered at Companies House needs to file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, regardless of whether it is trading. That includes active companies, dormant companies, and companies that are simply not trading at the moment. If your company is on the register, it will have a review period, and a confirmation statement is normally due at the end of each one. Because there are exceptions and special situations, it is worth checking your own company's position rather than relying on a general rule.

Most companies need to file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, based on their own review period rather than the tax year. Companies can also file more than once during a review period if company information changes and they want the public record updated promptly — for example after a director appointment or a share transfer. The review period is specific to your company and is not the same as your accounting period, so it is worth confirming your own date with Companies House or with your accountant.

Before filing, you should check the key details Companies House holds about your company. This typically includes the registered office address, the directors and any company secretary, the shareholders and share capital structure, people with significant control, the statement of company activities and the company's registered email address. If something has changed, the confirmation statement can reflect that — although certain changes, such as appointing a director or changing a registered office, may need to be reported separately as well rather than only being noted at the next confirmation statement. Getting this right keeps your record consistent and reduces the risk of queries later.

Yes — being dormant or not trading does not normally remove the requirement to file a confirmation statement. A dormant company usually still has a registered office, at least one director and often shareholders or guarantors, so Companies House still needs confirmation that this information is correct. What changes for a dormant company is generally the accounting position, not the confirmation statement obligation. It is common for directors to assume dormancy means no filings at all, which is why dormant companies are one of the most frequent cases where a confirmation statement is overlooked.

No, they are separate filings with different purposes. A confirmation statement confirms that the information Companies House holds about your company is accurate and up to date, while annual accounts report the company's financial position and performance for an accounting period. They also run to different deadlines: the confirmation statement follows your company's review period, whereas accounts are tied to your accounting reference date. Filing one does not discharge the other, and a company will typically need to deal with both.

A confirmation statement goes to Companies House and is about the accuracy of your company's public record. A Corporation Tax Return, often referred to as a CT600, goes to HMRC and reports your company's taxable profits and calculated Corporation Tax liability. They are filed with different authorities, serve completely different purposes, and have separate deadlines based on different periods. Filing a confirmation statement does not mean the company has met its Corporation Tax obligations, and vice versa — each needs to be handled on its own terms.

If a confirmation statement is not filed, the company falls into default with Companies House. Companies House can take action against companies that do not file, and continued non-compliance can ultimately lead to the company being struck off the register — which can have serious consequences for the directors and for the company's assets. Even before that stage, an out-of-date record can cause problems with banks, lenders, customers and anyone checking your company's details. The practical answer is to file on time and keep the record current.

With a professional service, you provide the details of your company and confirm what has or has not changed since the last filing. The records are then checked against the information Companies House holds, any updates needed are identified, and the confirmation statement submission is prepared and filed on your behalf. You receive clear communication about what has been filed and what, if anything, still needs your attention. If you would like help confirming your review period, checking your company record, or handling the next CS01 filing, getting in touch is a simple first step.