File Your Company’s Annual Accounts and Tax Return with UK Companies House
Every company based in the United Kingdom (UK) must file their company’s annual accounts and tax return with the UK Companies House. Our guide explains how you can do that.
Why Do You Need to File Your Company’s Annual Accounts?
The annual accounts are a record of how well your company is doing. It ensures your business operates transparently and is accountable to all stakeholders. The UK Companies House requires this from every company, and it is mandatory to comply with the legal requirements.
Your annual accounts or financial statements provide the UK Companies House with an overview of your financial activities in a specific period that spans a year. These documents include your balance sheet, profit and loss, and cash flow statement. Our 3E Accounting experts can provide the proper guidance to file these records because that is what we are here for.
All annual accounts must be filed on time and accurately. Failure to do so could mean that legal consequences will follow.
Late Filing Penalties for Private Limited Companies
You’ll have to pay penalties if you do not file your accounts and tax return with Companies House and HMRC on time.
| Time after the deadline | Penalty |
| Up to 1 month | £150 |
| 1 to 3 months | £375 |
| 3 to 6 months | £750 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 |
How to Prepare to File Your Company’s Annual Accounts
Filing your annual accounts with the UK Companies House involves several steps. The first step is to gather your financial records, including invoices, bank statements, payroll records, and other details regarding your income and expenses.
When preparing your accounts, determine the accounting period that you are reporting. This should be your company’s financial year; the details can be found in the Articles of Association. Our 3E Accounting team will help prepare the financial statements that comply with the UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (UK GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
The next step in filing your company’s annual accounts is calculating your corporate tax, which will be based on your company’s profits for the accounting period. 3E Accounting can handle this for you and review these financial statements to check for accuracy and completeness. It is crucial to ensure everything is accurate and nothing has been omitted.
Depending on your business’s size and legal structure, you may need to appoint an auditor. Smaller companies can be exempted from this statutory audit requirement. 3E Accounting can help you clarify if the exemption applies to you or not. Once we have helped you determine that your financial statements are accurate, we can finalise them with your Director’s Report.
Filing the Records with the UK Companies House
Your company’s annual accounts can be filed with the UK Companies House through their website. Your company must use your authentication credentials to access its online filing service. Based on your company’s legal structure, there are a couple of forms to choose from:
- Form AA02 – Private Limited Company (LTD)
- Form AA01 – Dormant Company
- Form AA06 – Micro-entity companies
Once the appropriate forms have been filled out, you must upload your financial statements, including your profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and any relevant notes accompanying these documents. Documents can only be uploaded to the Companies House website if they meet their requirements, including size, content, and format. Once the forms have been submitted, it is time to pay the filing fee.
Once you have finished, you will receive a confirmation email from Companies House acknowledging receipt of your annual accounts. You will also be given a transaction reference number that must be kept in your records.
The final step involves assessing if your company’s legal obligations require you to publish your annual accounts. In the UK, Public Limited Companies (PLCsw) must publish and submit their accounts to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Let Us Guide You Through the Process
When in doubt, it is always best to get professional guidance. Especially when it comes to matters as important as your company’s annual accounts, let the qualified professionals at 3E Accounting handle the legal aspects so you can manage the rest of your business with peace of mind.
For more information, contact us today.
