CT600 Tax Return Filing in Richmond: Prepare and File Your Company Tax Return with 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 the company's details, the accounting period covered, the figures used to arrive at taxable profit, the Corporation Tax charged, and any reliefs or adjustments being claimed. It is a tax return, not a set of accounts, and it is submitted to HMRC rather than to Companies House. In practice, a CT600 is usually filed alongside a Corporation Tax computation and, in most cases, a copy of the company's statutory accounts.

No. A CT600 is a Company Tax Return submitted to HMRC, while statutory accounts are a separate filing obligation, normally submitted to Companies House. They are prepared for different audiences and different purposes. Statutory accounts report the company's financial position and performance under an applicable accounting framework, whereas the CT600 reports the Corporation Tax position. The two are linked because the accounts usually provide the starting figures for the tax computation, but they are distinct documents and the obligations to prepare and file them are separate.

Some do, and some may not need to in a given period. There is no separate micro-entity version of the CT600. Whether a particular company must file depends on its circumstances — for example, whether HMRC has issued a notice to file, whether the company has taxable profits, and whether it meets any conditions that mean a return is not required. It is also important to remember that filing the CT600 and paying Corporation Tax are separate matters. A company might need to file a return even where no tax is ultimately payable, or it might owe tax while the return is still being prepared. Because the answer depends on the company's specific position, it is worth checking rather than assuming.

Accounting profit is the profit shown in the company's accounts, and it is usually the starting point for the Corporation Tax computation. Taxable profit is different because tax rules do not treat every item of income and expense in exactly the same way as accounting rules. Adjustments may include adding back expenditure that is not allowable for tax, deducting items that are treated more favourably for tax, accounting for capital allowances, and dealing with income that is taxed differently. The result of those adjustments is the taxable profit on which Corporation Tax is calculated. This is why a company can have a healthy accounting profit and a different taxable profit, and why the computation matters as much as the return itself.

The CT600 and the statutory accounts are separate filings, and in many cases a CT600 is submitted together with accounts and a computation. There are situations where a company submits a Company Tax Return without full statutory accounts — for example, where a company is dormant for the period, or where different filing requirements apply based on the company's circumstances. What matters is that the return accurately reflects the company's Corporation Tax position and that any accounts and computations HMRC expects are provided. We can advise on what applies to your company rather than applying a one-size-fits-all rule.

Typically you will need the company's accounting records for the period, including a profit and loss account and balance sheet, details of fixed asset additions and disposals, records of expenses that may not be allowable for tax, information about any other income, and the company's registration details. It also helps to have the previous year's return and computation to hand, so that brought-forward figures and any consistent treatments are carried through correctly. If records are incomplete, we can help you work out what is missing and how to fill the gaps before the return is prepared.

Yes. A company can authorise an agent to prepare and submit its Company Tax Return to HMRC, and many companies choose to do so because of the technical work involved in building the Corporation Tax computation and applying the correct adjustments. The company remains responsible for the accuracy of what is submitted, which is why good preparation includes reviewing the figures with you before filing. Acting as your agent for CT600 Tax Return Filing means the practical filing work is handled on your behalf, while you keep visibility of the numbers and the tax position.

If a Company Tax Return is filed after the deadline that applies to the accounting period, HMRC can issue penalties and may charge interest on any tax paid late. The amount and extent of any penalty depends on how late the return is and on the company's circumstances, and there are procedures for appealing against a penalty where there is a reasonable excuse. Filing and payment are separate obligations, so even a return that is filed on time does not settle any Corporation Tax due. The simplest way to avoid late filing issues is to keep Corporation Tax records organised through the year and start the preparation of your CT600 well before the deadline.