How to File Company Accounts with Companies House and HMRC

Filing company accounts is one of the most important legal responsibilities for UK business owners. Every limited company must prepare statutory accounts and submit them both to Companies House for the public record and to HMRC as part of the Company Tax (CT) Return.

Missing limited company tax deadlines can result in costly penalties, damage your business’s credibility, and even limit your ability to secure finance.

In this guide, we’ll explain who needs to file accounts, what they must include, how to prepare them, when they’re due, and the filing process for both Companies House and HMRC.

Who needs to file company accounts?

All UK-registered private limited companies (often written in business names as ‘Ltd’) and public limited companies (PLC) must file accounts annually – even if they haven’t traded or earned income.

Filing requirements depend on the size of your company, determined by turnover, balance sheet total, and employee numbers:

• Micro-entities: Can prepare the simplest accounts. You qualify if you meet at least two of: turnover ≤ £632,000, balance sheet total ≤ £316,000, 10 employees or fewer.
  
• Small companies: Reduced filing options such as “filleted” accounts, which exclude the profit and loss account from the public record. You qualify if you meet at least two of: turnover ≤ £10.2m, balance sheet total ≤ £5.1m, 50 employees or fewer.
  
• Dormant companies: Still need to submit a simplified declaration confirming inactivity.
  
• Large companies: Must file full statutory accounts with extra reports and may require an audit.

What do company accounts include?

Company accounts are more than just a record of income and expenses – they’re a formal set of documents that give a complete picture of your business’s financial health.

Prepared in line with UK GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), these accounts provide information for shareholders, potential investors, lenders, and regulators, and form the basis of your tax calculations.

Under UK GAAP, statutory accounts normally contain:

• Statement of financial position (Balance Sheet): Lists assets, liabilities, and equity at year-end.
  
• Statement of comprehensive income (Profit and Loss or P&L): Shows revenue, expenses, and profit or loss for the year.
  
• Notes to the accounts: Provide extra detail and explain accounting policies.
  
• For larger companies: Director’s report, auditor’s report, and cash flow statement.

Small companies and micro-entities can opt to file filleted accounts with Companies House, removing the profit and loss statement from the public record for commercial privacy.

How to prepare statutory business accounts

Preparing statutory accounts isn’t just pulling numbers from your bookkeeping software – it must follow UK accounting standards such as FRS 102 or FRS 105 (for micro-entities).

The process involves:

1. Gathering financial records for the year.
2. Making adjustments for items like depreciation, accruals, and prepayments.
3. Formatting the accounts to meet statutory requirements.

Can I file my own company accounts?

Yes, company directors can prepare and submit their own accounts. However, because the rules are complex and mistakes can trigger penalties, many directors use a qualified accountant to ensure compliance and uncover tax efficiencies.

When do company accounts need to be filed?

The deadlines are strict and any penalties are applied automatically:

• First accounts: Due 21 months after the date of incorporation.
• Annual accounts: Due 9 months after your company’s financial year-end (Accounting reference date).

What happens if I miss the deadline for filing accounts?

Late filing leads to an immediate penalty from Companies House. The longer the delay, the higher the fine. It can also harm your company’s credit rating and deter lenders or suppliers.

Penalties for filing company accounts late

Current Companies House penalties for a private company:

• Up to 1 month late: £150
• 1–3 months late: £375
• 3–6 months late: £750
• Over 6 months late: £1,500

Penalties double if you miss the deadline two years in a row. Persistent non-filing can also result in directors being held personally liable or even prosecuted.

Who can compile company accounts?

Preparing statutory accounts is a specialist task, but companies have flexibility in deciding who handles it. The choice often comes down to balancing cost, expertise, and the time available within your business. Broadly, there are two main approaches:

• In-house: A company director or internal finance professional can prepare them.
• External: A qualified chartered accountant (ACA, ACCA, etc.).

You can prepare your company accounts yourself, which can save on accountancy fees, but it comes with significant drawbacks: the process is time-consuming, errors are more likely, and you could miss out on tax reliefs or face higher penalties.

While preparing your own accounts can save money, many directors find that using an accountant more than pays for itself – particularly if your finances are more complex or you want peace of mind that everything is compliant.

How to file company accounts

Filing your company accounts isn’t a single step: You’ll need to send information to two different authorities (Companies House and HMRC). Each has its own requirements, deadlines, and filing systems, so it’s important to understand the distinction before you start:

• Companies House: Submit statutory accounts for the public record via the online WebFiling service or through your accountant’s software.
  
• HMRC: Submit a Company Tax Return (CT600) with a full copy of the accounts so HMRC can calculate your Corporation Tax liability.

Many businesses have their accountant handle both filings simultaneously, which keeps the information consistent and saves on admin time.

How do I file company accounts online?

Most directors either use Companies House’s WebFiling service themselves or authorise their accountant to submit on their behalf. Accountants’ software can often send the same set of accounts to both Companies House and HMRC, keeping records consistent and reducing admin.

Who can see the company accounts?

The accounts you file at Companies House are public records. Anyone can search for a company online and download its filed accounts – sometimes for free, sometimes for a small fee.

This transparency is a key feature of UK company law, allowing customers, suppliers, investors, and lenders to assess a company’s financial position. It helps maintain trust in the UK’s business environment and ensures that trading partners can make informed decisions.

You should consider not just accuracy but also how your accounts present your business to the outside world. While you must meet legal requirements, you can also use your filings to demonstrate stability, growth, and good governance to potential stakeholders.

Managing cash flow around statutory deadlines

Managing cash flow around tax and statutory deadlines can be difficult, especially if customer payments are delayed or you’re investing in new opportunities. These official dates are fixed, but cash flow doesn’t always neatly track. 

A flexible line of credit, such as our Flexi-loan, can help bridge gaps – letting you draw only what you need and repay early without penalties. This flexibility means you can cover Corporation Tax, invest in stock, or smooth out seasonal cash flow, all while keeping interest costs down.

• Apply online in minutes, with no lengthy paperwork
• Borrow up to £1m and only pay interest on what you draw down
• Get funds in your account within 24 hours
• Repay early anytime, with no fees

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Find out more about our Flexi-Loan. Applying takes minutes, and once approved, you’ll usually have the funds ready to use in 24 hours.