What Happens If I Miss My Company Deadlines?
All Limited Companies need to file a confirmation statement and their accounts on an annual basis, this is still true for dormant companies. But what happens, and what should you do, if you miss the deadline for filing?
The Confirmation Statement
What is it?
The Confirmation Statement (CS01) is completed to ensure the details held by Companies House are true for the current standing of the company. For example, no shareholders have resigned and no new directors have been taken on. All you need to do is Confirm with Companies House that the details are correct, hence the name "Confirmation Statement".
When is it due?
For the first statement, it needs to be filed no later than 1 year and 14 days from the date of incorporation. The following statements are then carried out annually.
For example, a company incorporated on 01/02/2025, would need to file its first confirmation statement by 14/02/2026, with subsequent ones being filed annually from that date.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Companies House states that:
Not filing your accounts or confirmation statements is a criminal offence Any criminal proceedings for not filing confirmation statements or accounts is separate from (and in addition to) any late filing penalties issued by Companies House against the company. You could get a financial penalty if you do not file your confirmation statement on time. The registrar could also take steps to strike your company off the register.
Typically, there are no financial penalties for submitting your Confirmation Statement late. However, legal proceedings may be started against you and your company may be struck off the register and no longer able to trade.
If you ignore the warnings from Companies House, both the company and the officers may be subject to prosecution and fined up to £5,000.
The Annual Accounts
What are they?
Annual accounts detail the financial happenings that's been going on throughout the year. Even if the company has never traded, they still have to file Dormant Accounts (form AA02).
When are they due?
The first set of Annual Accounts has to be filed no later than 21 months after the company was incorporated. With the following submissions being filed no later than 9 months after the Accounting Reference Date. For more on this, check out our previous post on accounting periods.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Your company will be in a similar situation as when missing the deadline for the Confirmation Statement. The main difference, however, is that the company will be liable to pay a penalty fee; the amount of the fee depends on how late the accounts are filed.
| How late | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 - 1 Month | £100 |
| More than 1 month but no more than 3 months | £375 |
| More than 3 months but no more than 6 months | £750 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 |
Source: Companies House Guidance: Late Filing Penalties, 2024
Also, penalties will be doubled if they are filed late in 2 successive financial years.
Is there a way of avoiding the penalty?
There is, but you either have to have a good reason for not filing on time, or you must be able to prove that you filed late because of circumstances that were out of your control and made it impossible for you to meet the deadline. For more information on appeals, check out the gov.uk website.
Further Reading
You can find out more about Company Accounts in the Company Wizard support guide.
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