Confirmation Statement Filing in Hollinwood: Keep Your Companies House Information Accurate

A confirmation statement is a filing made with Companies House that confirms the information held on the public register about your company is accurate and up to date. It is sometimes still called the annual return, although the filing itself has been known as the confirmation statement and submitted on form CS01 for some years. Importantly, it is not a financial document. It does not report your turnover, profit, tax position or business performance, and it does not replace statutory annual accounts or a Corporation Tax Return. It is simply a confirmation that the register reflects your company correctly, together with any updates that need to be made.

Most companies registered at Companies House, including those based in Hollinwood, need to file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months. This generally applies whether the company is actively trading, dormant or not currently trading. The requirement attaches to the company's registration, not to its level of activity, so a quiet year does not normally remove it. If your company has reached its first review period, or you are unsure whether a confirmation statement is due, it is worth checking the company's filing history and due dates at Companies House so nothing is missed.

UK companies generally need to file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, even if the company is dormant or not trading. The 12-month period is known as a review period. Importantly, you can file more than one confirmation statement within a review period, which is useful when company information changes and you want the register updated promptly. It is also worth remembering that the confirmation statement cycle is separate from your company's accounting period and from the annual accounts deadline, so do not assume that filing accounts also ticks off the confirmation statement.

The confirmation statement is a checkpoint for the information Companies House already holds about your company. That typically includes the registered office address, the company's registered email address, directors and company secretaries where applicable, shareholders and their shareholdings, the statement of capital, people with significant control (PSCs), and the SIC codes describing the company's activities. Some changes cannot simply be noted on the confirmation statement — for example, certain appointments, resignations, share allotments or address changes need to be reported to Companies House separately, and it is best to deal with those as soon as they happen rather than waiting for the next confirmation statement.

In most cases, yes. Being dormant or not currently trading does not normally remove the requirement to file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months. Dormancy affects what you report elsewhere, such as in your statutory accounts, but the confirmation statement is about the company's registration details rather than its trading activity. There are limited circumstances where a company may not need to file one, and that depends on the company's specific situation, so it is sensible to check your position rather than assume the requirement no longer applies.

No, they are two separate filings and should not be confused. A confirmation statement confirms that the information Companies House holds about your company is accurate and up to date — it deals with matters such as directors, shareholders and the registered office. Annual accounts are financial statements that report on the company's financial position and performance for an accounting period. They are prepared on different deadlines and serve different purposes. Filing one does not satisfy the other, so most companies need to keep track of both.

A confirmation statement goes to Companies House and confirms the accuracy of your company's registration details. A Corporation Tax Return, usually submitted as a CT600, goes to HMRC and reports the company's taxable profits and calculates the Corporation Tax due. They are filed with different organisations, for different purposes, and on different deadlines. Filing a confirmation statement does not settle any Corporation Tax obligations, and submitting a CT600 does not remove the need to file a confirmation statement. A company may also have other obligations, such as VAT Returns, depending on its circumstances.

If a confirmation statement is not filed when it is due, Companies House can take action against the company and its officers, and the company's record will show that the filing is outstanding. Beyond the formal consequences, an out-of-date register can cause practical problems — for example when opening a bank account, applying for finance or dealing with third parties who check your public record. Professional Confirmation Statement Filing helps by checking the details on the register, identifying anything that looks incorrect or incomplete, preparing the confirmation statement and submitting it for you, and pointing out changes that need to be reported separately. If you would like help with your filing, or with Companies House information updates more generally, the team at Micro Entity Accounts can review your position and explain the next steps clearly.