Companies House Changes to filing in April 2028

If you run a limited company - or you look after clients who do - a set of significant changes is on its way. Companies House has confirmed how it will reform the way companies prepare and file their annual accounts, and the date to put in your diary is April 2028.

The reforms come from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, and they change both how you file your accounts and what you have to include. Below is a plain-English rundown of what's coming, who it affects, and what you can start doing now to stay ahead of it.

What's changing from April 2028

Companies House is bringing in a package of measures together. In short, from April 2028:

• small companies and micro-entities will have to file a profit and loss account, as larger companies already do - with the option to opt out of publishing it on the public register
• all companies will have to file their annual accounts using commercial software
• the option to file abridged accounts will be removed
• companies claiming an audit exemption will need to provide a strengthened eligibility statement
• the separate parts of the accounts and reports will need to be filed together
• there will be a limit on how often a company can shorten its accounting reference period

The original plan was for these measures to land in April 2027, but the timetable has been pushed back to give everyone room to prepare. Companies House says this gives businesses one full accounting year plus nine months - around 21 months - to get ready.

All companies will have one full accounting year, plus nine months, to prepare for the switch.

Small companies and micro-entities will file a profit and loss account

This is the change most likely to catch smaller businesses by surprise. Until now, the smallest companies have been able to keep a lot of detail off their filed accounts. From April 2028, they'll be brought into line with everyone else and required to file a profit and loss account with Companies House.

There's an important bit of good news attached, though. Recognising the privacy and commercial concerns that come with putting your figures on public display, Companies House will let small companies and micro-entities opt out of publishing that profit and loss information on the public register.

The opt-out: keeping your figures off the public register

Opting out doesn't mean your numbers vanish. If you choose not to publish your profit and loss account, Companies House, HMRC and law enforcement will still be able to see it - the information is simply kept off the public-facing register rather than hidden entirely. That's the balance the reforms are trying to strike: protecting smaller businesses commercially while still supporting the fight against fraud and tax evasion.

It's also worth remembering that publication has upsides. Companies that are happy to publish can still do so, and open figures can help with things like access to finance and demonstrating transparency to lenders and suppliers.

The end of web and paper accounts filing

Alongside the changes to what you file, there's a big change to how you file. From April 2028, all UK-registered companies will have to submit their accounts using commercial software, in the standardised iXBRL format. At that point, the Companies House web and paper filing routes for accounts will close.

This applies whether you file your own accounts or have an accountant or agent file them on your behalf. If your current process relies on the free Companies House web service or paper forms, that route won't be available for accounts any more.

The good news is that this only affects accounts. Other filings - such as your confirmation statement and updates to director details - will still be available through the usual Companies House web services. Companies House is also publishing a list of software providers on GOV.UK to help you find a suitable package, and there's guidance on using software to file your company's information if you want to start getting familiar with the process.

Other changes worth noting

A few of the smaller measures are easy to overlook but still worth understanding:

• No more abridged accounts. The option to file a shortened, abridged set of accounts is being removed, so all companies will file a fuller set.
• A stronger audit-exemption statement. If your company claims exemption from audit, you'll need to make a strengthened eligibility statement confirming you genuinely qualify.
• Everything filed together. The component parts of your accounts and reports will need to be submitted as one package rather than piecemeal.
• Fewer chances to shorten your period. There'll be a cap on how often you can shorten your accounting reference period, which has sometimes been used to move filing deadlines around.

What this means for you - and how to prepare

April 2028 sounds distant, but the practical reality is that your first affected filing could arrive sooner than you'd expect once your next accounting year begins. A little planning now saves a scramble later. Here's where to start:

1. Check how you currently file your accounts. If it's on paper or through the free web service, you'll need to move to software.
2. Make sure Companies House holds an up-to-date registered email address for your company - that's how they'll contact you about these changes.
3. If you're a small company or micro-entity, start thinking about whether you'll want to opt out of publishing your profit and loss account.
4. Talk to your accountant early. If they file on your behalf, they'll need software that meets the new requirements too.
5. Get comfortable with software-based filing well before the deadline, rather than on the day your accounts are due.

How Tax Optimiser can help

The move to software-only filing is exactly the kind of change TaxOptimiser is built for. Rather than wrestling with format requirements and iXBRL tagging yourself, you'll be able to prepare and file compliant accounts through software that's designed to handle the detail for you - so meeting the new Companies House rules becomes part of your normal routine rather than a headache.

If you're a small business owner or an accountant with a portfolio of clients, getting set up ahead of April 2028 means you'll be filing with confidence from day one. Our team will keep this guide updated as Companies House confirms the finer points, including how the profit and loss opt-out will work in practice.

For the official announcement, you can read the full Companies House statement on GOV.UK. And if you'd like a head start on software filing, Tax Optimiser is ready to help you make the switch smoothly.