What Is A Companies House Confirmation Statement?

Running a business is no easy task. Alongside all the stress and work involved in your day-to-day activities, there’s a whole lot of paperwork, accounting and deadlines that you have to on top of. 

But hey, it’s a small price to pay to own the business you’ve always wanted to. 

At Business4Beginners, we’ve always got your back when it comes to advice in understanding and meeting your legal obligations as a sole trader, limited company or otherwise. Which brings us to this guide on confirmation statements, which every business needs to submit to the Companies House once a year. 

So, let’s find out what is a Companies House confirmation statement, why you need to fill one out and how you can make sure yours is returned before the deadline. 

What is a Companies House confirmation statement? 

A confirmation statement is a document that the Companies House introduced in 2016 to ensure that all information on their records about your company was up to date and correct. 

It’s an annual form that simply confirms that their records are up to date. If something is off, this statement will reveal it so the correct information can then be submitted. 

This may seem like an annoying document to remember every year, but trust us, it’s a lot better than what it used to be. Before the confirmation statement was introduced, you had to provide and submit a full snapshot of your company once a year. 

Now, it’s a simple ‘check and confirm’ system. It takes minutes – but just because it’s quick, it’s important that you don’t forget to do it. 

Who has to file a confirmation statement?

Confirmation statements are required by all limited companies and limited liability partnerships. Even if your company is dormant, you will still need to submit this form every 12 months. 

Basically, if you are a registered business at the Companies House, you need to complete this form and ensure all your details are up to date. 

If you’re a sole trader and therefore aren’t registered, you won’t have to complete this form. Having fewer legal obligations is one of the benefits of being a sole trader over a limited company. 

Although limited companies do have more paperwork to complete, this comes with certain advantages that sole traders do not have, such as: 

• Easier financial backing and support;
• Personal cover, as the company will be liable for debts and not yourself;
• Better tax efficiency and allowable expenses;
• A more professional appearance to secure top-level clients.

If you’re currently a sole trader that’s considering becoming a limited company, it’s not too late to make that switch. Find out how to form a limited company in our guide, or check out our list of recommended company formation agents to take care of the paperwork for you. 

What if nothing has changed since last year? 

The thing about confirmation statements is that you still need to fill them out every single year to confirm that they are correct. Even if nothing has changed in the past year, you will still need to check your company’s details and verify them. 

Sorry, but there’s no get out of jail free card here. 

How do you file a confirmation statement to Companies House? 

Filling out your confirmation statement is one of the easiest pieces of paperwork you’ll ever do as a company. The whole process is quick and easy and can be done entirely online. 

To get started, you need to register for online filing with the Companies House, which you can do by clicking this link. Once registered, or if you’ve already registered, you’ll need to visit this page on the Companies House website, using your unique password and authentication code. 

Here, you’ll be able to access your confirmation statement, check all your details are correct and submit. It takes just a few minutes to sort out. 

If you get stuck or have any more questions, take a look at this help guide on the gov.uk website. 

If you prefer to send your confirmation statement through the post, this can be done. But be warned that paper forms cost £40 to process, whereas the online form only costs £13. 

Do I need an accountant to fill out a confirmation statement? 

No! 

Your confirmation statement is about confirming the top-level details of your company are correct. Thankfully for this form, there’s no math involved and no need to include a record of your finances. 

Don’t worry though, because you’ll be needing those for your annual statement or end of year accounts instead. 

What information is included in a confirmation statement? 

Your confirmation statement comprises top-level information about your business that’s stored by the Companies House. It includes details such as: 

• Your company name;
• Your registration number;
• Your company category;
• The date you registered;
• Your registered office;
• If you are trading on regulated markets, such as a stock exchange;
• Your secretary and director details;
• Your share capital and shareholdings.

If any information has changed in the past 12 months, you can enter these changes in the additional information section. 

Lost the buzz for your business?

Starting a business is exciting. Succeeding is rewarding. The bit between is hard, repetitive, and full of self-doubt. 

The Lonely Middle Club (From Business4Beginners) helps you through it:

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When is my confirmation statement due? 

Your confirmation statement needs to be submitted to Companies House every 12 months. 

If you’re a new company that hasn’t submitted a confirmation statement before, then your statement will be due 12 months after your incorporation date. So, if your company was incorporated into Companies House on the 16th of March 2020, your confirmation statement will be due on the 16th March 2021. 

If you’ve already submitted a confirmation statement, your next one is due within 12 months of the date of that submission. 

The 12-month deadline work on a rolling basis. So, if you submitted a confirmation statement on the 2nd of February 2021, your next one will be due on 2nd February 2022. 

What happens if I don’t submit my confirmation statement?

Not submitting your confirmation statement on time is a criminal offence. 

If you don’t submit your confirmation statement by the deadline, the Companies House may assume your company is no longer in operation. This gives you two very serious consequences:

• The Companies House may strike your company from their records completely. That means your limited company will cease to legally exist and all of your assets will become the property of the Crown. 
• You can be prosecuted for failing to submit the statement online and thus committing a criminal offence. 

Those are some pretty serious consequences, so make sure that your confirmation statement is always filled in on time. 

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How much does it cost to submit my confirmation statement?

Your confirmation statement costs £13 to submit online, or £40 if you send a paper document through the post. 

However, this payment is only due once a year – no matter how many confirmation statements that you submit. For example, let’s say that Jack incorporated his company on the 4th of May 2020. 

3 months later, on the 4th of August, Jack submitted a new confirmation statement to change some details about his business. But because he had paid in May, a new payment won’t be due until the 4th of May 2021. 

Sadly, you cannot change your payment date. It works on a 12 month period from the date you first incorporated. So if you wanted to submit a confirmation statement early to change your billing period, you’re fresh out of luck. 

Need some help with your paperwork? 

At Business4Beginners, we’ve got all the advice, tips and guides you need to understand and correctly fill out all of the legal forms required as a business. 

To get started, check out our range of legal or accounting guides on our website, or see our reviews of the best accounting software to get stuck in.