If you run a small limited company, there's a good chance you used to file your annual accounts and your Company Tax Return in one go, using the free online service run jointly by HMRC and Companies House. It was simple, it didn't cost anything, and it did the job for a lot of straightforward companies.
That service closed on 31 March 2026. If you've got a filing coming up and you're not sure where to go now, this post explains what has changed, what is still available, and how to pick an option that will still work after the bigger changes arriving in 2028.
What has closed
The service that closed is the joint one - the route that let you send your company accounts to Companies House and your Company Tax Return (also called the CT600) to HMRC at the same time. HMRC has moved Corporation Tax filing onto commercial software, so there is no longer a free government form for your tax return.
In practice that means two things:
- your Company Tax Return now needs to be filed with commercial software that talks to HMRC
- your accounts now go to Companies House separately - either through software, or through one of the Companies House routes that are still open
Heads up - the deadlines haven't changed. Your accounts are still due at Companies House 9 months after your year end (for a private company), and your tax return is still due at HMRC 12 months after the end of your accounting period. Losing the free service doesn't buy you any extra time.
What is still open until April 2028
Companies House's own WebFiling service has not closed. You can still use it for a small number of simple account types until 1 April 2028. Here's how each type of accounts can be filed today:
| Type of accounts | How you can file them |
|---|---|
| Micro-entity accounts | Software or WebFiling |
| Dormant accounts - company has never traded | Software or WebFiling |
| Dormant accounts - company has traded before | Software only |
| Unaudited abridged accounts | Software or the Find and update company information service |
| Full, small audited, medium and group accounts | Software only |
| Community interest company (CIC) accounts | Software only - WebFiling can't take them |
So if your company is a micro-entity, WebFiling can still take your accounts for now. But you'll still need software for the tax return - which means two separate filings in two different places.
Why WebFiling is only a stopgap
From 1 April 2028, under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, every company will have to file its accounts using commercial software, in a format called iXBRL (a way of tagging each figure so a computer can read it). Paper filing and WebFiling will both close for accounts at that point.
So if you move your tax return to software now but keep your accounts on WebFiling, you'll have to change again in 2028. For most small companies it's simpler to make one move and do both filings in the same place.
The free joint service has gone, and WebFiling for accounts goes in 2028 - so the question isn't whether to use software, but when.
We've covered the full 2028 package - including the new profit and loss filing for small companies - in Companies House changes to filing in April 2028.
What to look for in software
You don't need anything complicated, but it's worth checking a few things before you choose:
- It files to both HMRC and Companies House. One set of figures, two filings, no retyping.
- It produces iXBRL accounts. HMRC already requires them with your tax return, and Companies House will from 2028.
- It handles your type of company. Dormant companies, companies that have stopped trading and community interest companies all have their own rules.
- It checks your accounts before you file. A rejection close to the deadline can still mean a late filing penalty.
- It keeps your authentication code safe. You'll need your six-character Companies House authentication code to file electronically.
How TaxOptimiser can help
We prepare your statutory accounts - micro-entity (FRS 105), small company (FRS 102 Section 1A) or dormant - and file them with Companies House in iXBRL. The same figures flow into your Company Tax Return, which we file with HMRC along with your full accounts. If your company is dormant, our dormant accounts wizard walks you through it in three steps - see Filing dormant company accounts.
The short version
The free joint filing service closed on 31 March 2026. Your tax return now needs software, WebFiling can only take a few simple types of accounts, and that option ends on 1 April 2028. Moving both filings to one piece of software now means you'll only have to switch once. Keep an eye on your filing deadlines while you make the move.