Running a company in the UK involves more than serving customers and keeping the business moving. There are also a few Companies House responsibilities that need attention throughout the year.
One of them is the Confirmation Statement. The name might sound formal. The purpose is fairly simple. A Confirmation Statement gives Companies House an update on your company. Confirms that the information held on the public register is still correct.
BusinAssist can help with Confirmation Statement filing and other routine UK company administration making it easier to stay on top of your Companies House responsibilities.
Here is everything that you as UK company owners need to know.
What Is a Confirmation Statement?
A Confirmation Statement is a yearly filing made with Companies House.
It gives a company the opportunity to review the information held on its public record and confirm that it is up to date. It replaced the old annual return and is required even when there have been no changes to the company. Think of it as an annual check-in with Companies House. You are essentially saying: “This is our company information, and this is still correct.”
However a Confirmation Statement should not be mixed up with reporting changes that happen during the year. If something changes for example a director leaving the company the update with Companies House might need to be done on its own.
Who Has to Submit a Confirmation Statement?
Most companies that are registered with Companies House have to submit a Confirmation Statement, at once every 12 months.
This generally includes:
- Private limited companies
- Public limited companies
- Limited liability partnerships (LLPs)
- Companies that are currently dormant
- Companies that are not actively trading
Being inactive does not automatically remove the filing requirement.
For example, think about someone who set up a company but hasn’t begun any business activities yet. The company might not have any sales, workers or clients. It could still need to file a Confirmation Statement.
The same applies to a company that has been trading for years.
The key point is that the filing requirement is linked to the company’s registration, not simply whether the business is currently making money.
When Should You File It?
Your Confirmation Statement is normally due at least once every 12 months. The review period generally begins on the date your company was incorporated or on the date of your previous Confirmation Statement.
Once the review period ends there is usually a 14-day window to file the statement. You can check the filing date in your Companies House record so it is a good idea to note it down in your calendar instead of depending on memory.
There is no need to wait until the Last day to file. Filing earlier can make things easier, particularly if you need to correct company information first. There is also normally a filing fee, even if nothing has changed since your previous statement.
What Information Do You Need to Check?
Before submitting the statement, take a look at the information Companies House holds about your business.
Depending on your company, this can include:
- Registered office address
- Registered email address
- Directors
- Company secretary, where applicable
- Shareholders
- Share capital
- People with Significant Control (PSCs)
- SIC code
- Information about trading status and other company details
You do not necessarily need to change everything every year. The purpose of the review is to identify whether anything is wrong or outdated.
These are the kinds of details worth catching before filing.
What If Something Has Changed?
This is where company owners sometimes get confused. A Confirmation Statement is not a general-purpose form for reporting every company change.
Some changes require their Companies House filing rules. For example if a new director is appointed, if the registered office is changed or if share information is changed those changes must be reported separately.
So if an outdated detail is found while preparing the Confirmation Statement it should not be assumed that filing the statement will automatically correct that detail. Check what type of change has occurred and whether a separate notification is required. This small step can stop the public company record from becoming inconsistent.
Common Confirmation Statement Mistakes
Most problems are not caused by complicated legal issues. They often come from simple oversights.
1. Assuming you do not need to file
Some directors think there is nothing to submit because the company has not changed.
That is not usually true. Companies still usually need to file a Confirmation Statement even if company details have not changed. Companies must file a Confirmation Statement regardless of details.
2.Leaving it until the last minute can be stressful
Waiting until the deadline can become stressful if a company suddenly discovers an address, shareholder detail or other company information. Companies should avoid this stress by planning. Giving yourself some time makes the process much easier.
3. Forgetting about company changes
Business owners may remember major changes but forget smaller administrative ones.
A change in address, ownership or business activity can be easy to overlook after several months.
4. Assuming one filing fixes everything
As mentioned before some changes companies need to be shared on their own. Don’t think that the Confirmation Statement will change all parts of your Companies House record automatically.
Final Thoughts
Confirmation Statement filing is a routine part of running a UK company, but it is one that should not be forgotten.
The process becomes much easier when you approach it as a yearly company check.
Review your Companies House information, deal with any changes that need separate reporting and submit the statement within the required timeframe.
It is a relatively small task, but keeping your company record up to date can save you from bigger administrative headaches later. But not anymore;
BusinAssist provides support for UK businesses with routine Confirmation Statement Filing and other company administration related services. Having someone help with regular filings can reduce the chance of missing a deadline or overlooking an important detail.
