CT600 Tax Return Filing in Cambridge: Prepare and Submit Your Company Tax Return to HMRC

A CT600 is the form used to submit a Company Tax Return to HMRC. It sets out a company’s Corporation Tax position for an accounting period, including income, gains, deductions, allowances and the resulting tax calculation. The CT600 is not a set of statutory accounts, a Confirmation Statement or a VAT Return; it is the Corporation Tax return for HMRC. Whether a company needs to file one depends on its circumstances and any notice from HMRC, but most companies that are liable to Corporation Tax, or that HMRC has asked to file, will need to complete a CT600. The exact entries depend on the company’s figures and tax adjustments.

Yes. Statutory accounts are the annual accounts prepared for the company and, where required, filed with Companies House. The CT600 is the Company Tax Return filed with HMRC. The two are related because the accounts often provide the starting point for the Corporation Tax computation, but they are separate filings with separate purposes. Filing statutory accounts does not satisfy the CT600 obligation, and filing a CT600 does not replace the Companies House accounts filing. Small and micro-entity companies may have simpler accounts requirements, but that does not remove the need to consider Corporation Tax and CT600 Tax Return Filing where a return is required.

Yes. The CT600 is the return form submitted to HMRC, while the Corporation Tax computation is the supporting calculation that shows how accounting profit becomes taxable profit and how the Corporation Tax liability is arrived at. The computation may include adjustments such as disallowable expenses, non-taxable income, capital allowances and losses. The figures from the computation are then reflected in the CT600. In practice, the computation and the accounts are usually prepared alongside the return so the filing is consistent and supported.

Not automatically just because it is a micro-entity. A micro-entity company may still have Corporation Tax obligations and may need to submit a Company Tax Return to HMRC if it is liable to Corporation Tax or if HMRC requires one. Being a micro-entity affects how statutory accounts may be prepared, not whether a CT600 is required. The company’s taxable position and HMRCu2019s rules determine whether Corporation Tax is payable and whether a return must be filed. Filing a CT600 and paying Corporation Tax are also separate obligations.

The CT600 is filed with HMRC, while statutory accounts are filed with Companies House. In most cases, a Company Tax Return is supported by accounts and a Corporation Tax computation, so you should not assume the CT600 can be filed properly in isolation. Even if HMRCu2019s requirements can be met in a particular way, filing a CT600 does not discharge the separate Companies House accounts obligation. The exact requirements depend on the company’s circumstances, so it is important to check what HMRC expects before filing.

To prepare a CT600, you generally need the company’s accounting records for the period, including income, expenses, balance sheet information, fixed asset details, any capital expenditure, losses brought forward and other tax-relevant items. You also need the company’s HMRC references, details of the accounting period and a clear view of any tax adjustments. If statutory accounts have been prepared, they can be used as a starting point. The Corporation Tax computation then works through adjustments to arrive at taxable profit and the tax liability. The precise information depends on the company’s activities and transactions.

Taxable profit usually starts with the accounting profit shown in the accounts, but it is not simply the same figure. The Corporation Tax computation may add back expenses that are not allowable for tax, deduct income that is not taxable, replace accounting depreciation with capital allowances where relevant, and account for losses or other reliefs. These adjustments help HMRC calculate the company’s taxable profit and, where applicable, the Corporation Tax due. Because tax rules can affect different companies in different ways, the computation should be prepared carefully and kept with the CT600 Tax Return Filing records.

No. Filing a CT600 reports the company’s Corporation Tax position to HMRC, while payment of Corporation Tax is a separate obligation. A company may need to pay any Corporation Tax due by the relevant payment date, even if the CT600 is filed separately. Equally, filing the return does not automatically collect the tax. It is important to track both the filing and payment requirements, as they can follow different timetables. If you are unsure when payment is due, check HMRCu2019s guidance or seek professional advice.