Confirmation Statement Filing in Preston: Keep Your Companies House Record Accurate

A confirmation statement is a filing made to Companies House, usually referred to by its form reference, CS01. It is used to confirm that the information Companies House holds about your company is accurate and up to date as at the confirmation date. It is not a financial document and it is not a tax return. Each statement relates to a review period, normally 12 months, and during that statement you confirm details such as your registered office, directors, shareholders, share capital, and people with significant control. Where something on the register is wrong or out of date, you generally update it as part of the process or through a separate filing, depending on the change.

Most UK limited companies need to file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, and that includes companies that are dormant, non-trading, or simply not very active. The requirement follows the company itself rather than how busy it is. Other entity types, such as limited liability partnerships, can have similar obligations, so it is worth checking what applies to your particular structure. If you are unsure whether your company falls within the requirement, or whether your review period is due, an accountant or a professional filing service can confirm your position quickly.

A company generally needs to file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, even if nothing has changed since the last one. Companies House sets a review period for your company and the statement is due after that period ends. This is separate from your accounting period and separate from your annual accounts deadline, so do not assume the dates line up. You can also file more than one confirmation statement within a review period — for example, where you want to confirm updated information sooner — although filing an extra statement does not normally change the review period itself.

The core purpose of the confirmation statement is to confirm the register is correct, so it is worth reviewing your registered office address, your directors and company secretary, your shareholders and share capital, and your people with significant control details. Your SIC code or principal business activity is also worth checking, along with the statement that the company's intended future activities are lawful. Some changes cannot simply be captured on the confirmation statement — for example, appointing or removing a director, changing the registered office, or allotting shares usually needs to be reported to Companies House separately, and often promptly. Part of good Confirmation Statement Filing is spotting those situations early rather than letting them sit until the next statement.

In most cases, yes. Being dormant or not trading does not normally remove the obligation to file a confirmation statement, because the filing is about the accuracy of the register rather than about trading activity or profit. A dormant company will also usually have separate reporting duties, such as filing accounts, and those are handled separately from the confirmation statement. It is a common misunderstanding that a quiet company has nothing to file, so if your company has been dormant for a while, it is worth checking your position before assuming no action is needed.

They are three distinct filings with different purposes. A confirmation statement confirms that Companies House holds accurate information about your company — it is not a financial document. Annual accounts report the company's financial position and performance for an accounting period, and they are prepared to a different set of rules and deadlines. A Corporation Tax Return, often called a CT600, is submitted to HMRC rather than Companies House and deals with corporation tax. Completing one of these does not replace the others, and filing a confirmation statement does not mean your accounts or tax obligations are dealt with.

If a confirmation statement is not filed when it is due, the company can find itself in default with Companies House, and Companies House can take action. In more serious cases, a company that remains in default can be at risk of being struck off the register, and a failure to file can also have consequences for directors. The exact outcome depends on the company's circumstances and how long the filing has been outstanding, so it is best to deal with an overdue statement as soon as possible. If you are already late, getting advice on your position is sensible before the situation develops further.

Professional filing is straightforward. You share the details we need about your company, we review the information against what Companies House currently holds, we highlight anything that looks out of date and explain whether it can be updated as part of the statement or needs a separate notification, and then we prepare and submit your confirmation statement within the relevant review period. Along the way you can ask questions in plain English rather than trying to interpret form guidance on your own. Because we work with companies in Preston and across the UK, everything can be handled remotely. To get started, simply send us your company details and we will confirm what is required, what it covers, and how we will keep your Companies House record accurate.