Annual Confirmation Statement

Officially known as Form CS01, your Annual Confirmation Statement provides Companies House with a snapshot of important information pertaining to your limited company.

Every company in the UK is legally obligated to file an Annual Confirmation Statement once in every 12 month period. You will receive a written or email reminder to file your Annual Confirmation Statement from Companies House if you are approaching the end of a 12 month period without having filed. When you make the filing, you will need to confirm a number of important pieces of information.

What is the Annual Confirmation Statement?

The Annual Confirmation Statement provides Companies House with a “snapshot” into the structure of your business.

It includes details of the company director(s) and shareholder(s), the company secretary (if applicable), the address of the registered office, share capital, the People with Significant Control and more. Companies House require this documentation to be completed and returned once in every 12 months, and any changes made to the structure throughout the year must be notified to Companies House on the relevant statutory forms with or before the Annual Confirmation Statement.

It is important to note that your Annual Confirmation Statement is different from your annual tax return; the Annual Confirmation Statement has nothing to do with your corporate tax liability, and reveals to Companies House information about your company structure. Your Company Tax return is filed with HMRC, and along with providing your full company accounts, you will also be liable to pay any taxes due at this point.

Who needs to file an Annual Confirmation Statement?

The director of a limited company is responsible for filing the Annual Confirmation Statement.

Failing to file your Annual Confirmation Statement by the the end of the filing period is a criminal offence that will incur strict penalties. In fact, it could result in Companies House striking off your company altogether. For this reason, it is highly beneficial to work with a professional secretarial service provider or an accountant/bookkeeper that can remind you of when it is time to file.

How to file your Annual Confirmation Statement

You will normally receive written correspondence from Companies House advising you of when it’s time to file your statement.

When it comes to filing your Annual Confirmation Statement, the easiest way to do so is online. Companies House has a WebFiling system that is designed to make the process more efficient and straightforward. With this system, you can login and file the paperwork yourself, or your accountant can do this on your behalf. You can also register to receive e-reminders to advise you of when you will need to file, which can reduce the physical paperwork substantially.

The cost associated with filing your Annual Confirmation Statement is just £13 if you file online, or £40 if you file on paper, and, if you file online, you will receive a confirmation email once it has been received at Companies House, and another once it has been accepted or rejected. The filing fee covers a filing period and once the fee has been paid for a period you may file as many additional Confirmation Statements in that period as you desire.

When to file Annual Confirmation Statement

Your Annual Confirmation Statement must be filed once in every twelve month period and your first filing will usually be required within 14 days of the anniversary of the date on which you incorporated your company.

If your Annual Confirmation Statement is filed a little late then there may be some leniency, but it is a criminal offence to fail to file one altogether. It is therefore important to stay up to date with when you are due to file your Annual Confirmation Statement, and it is here that the services of an accountant can be incredibly beneficial to ensure you make the deadline.