A key responsibility of being the director of a Limited Company is to file your confirmation statement to Companies House. Missing the due date for filing could lead to serious consequences for both the business and yourself. Below is a brief guide to assist you with understanding and meeting your responsibility, and to avoid the worst-case scenario of having your business struck-off.
Key Things To Consider
Every company, including dormant and non trading companies, must file a confirmation statement at least once every year. This confirms the information Companies House holds about your company is up to date.
You must file a confirmation statement even if there have not been any changes to your company during the review period.
Before confirming your records are up to date, you must tell Companies House about changes to your company’s:
Directors and secretary
People with significant control (PSC)
Registered office address
Registered email address
The confirmation statement has an additional information section. You can complete this if there have been changes to your:
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code
Statement of capital
Trading status of shares
Exemption from keeping a PSC register
Shareholder information
From 5 March 2024, you will also need to state that the intended future activities of the company are lawful and provide an email address in your confirmation statement if you have not already provided one- your email address will not be published on the public register.
Consequences Of Filing Your Confirmation Statement Late
While there is no immediate penalty for filing passed your deadline, if Companies House does not receive your confirmation statement, they will assume that your company is no longer trading. As a result, they will take action to dissolve the company. This means your company name is removed from the register and it no longer legally exists. If you want to continue trading after being struck off, you would need to restore the company which can be a difficult & lengthy process.
How to Avoid Late Filing
Set Reminders
Use calendar alerts and reminders in your diary to track the due date of your confirmation statement. Setting multiple reminders can help ensure that the deadline isn’t missed.
Check your email
We send out proactive email reminders as your deadline for filing draws near. Please keep an eye on your inbox for these to ensure you don't miss the deadline!
File Online
Filing your confirmation statement online through the Companies House WebFiling service is straightforward and can save time. It’s accessible 24/7, so you can file at a time that suits you.
How To File Your Confirmation Statement
Ember can file your confirmation statement on your behalf. The cost for this service depends on the plan you are subscribed to.
If you would like use to file this for you, please get in touch via the intercom icon in the bottom right corner of your Ember account or email: [email protected]
If you wish to file this yourself, we have a helpful guide on how to do that which we encourage you to refer to here: Filing Your Confirmation Statement.
Conclusion
While the immediate repercussions of filing your confirmation statement late might not include hefty fines, the long-term consequences can be severe.
If you have any questions or require any assistance please don't hesitate to reach out to our expert team of accountants.