By Companies House

If you’re due to file accounts with Companies House by the end of September, use our online services where possible and allow plenty of time before your deadline.

September is always a busy time with many companies due to file accounts with Companies House before the end of the month.

We’re continuing to follow government guidance for working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19). This means it could take longer than usual to process paper documents sent by post.

File your accounts online

Our online services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - and there are inbuilt checks to help you avoid mistakes.

It can take as little as 15 minutes from start to finish and you’ll know your accounts have been delivered on time. We’ll send you an email to confirm we’ve received your accounts, and another email when we’ve registered them.

To file online, you’ll need your company authentication code. If you need to request a new code, you should allow up to 5 days for this to arrive at the company’s registered office.

You can also use third party software to file your accounts.

If you need to file on paper

You should only send paper accounts if your company cannot file online. Accounts filed on paper need to be manually checked and processed by our teams during office opening hours.

If you need to file your accounts on paper, you should send them to us well before the deadline. This will give you plenty of time to correct your accounts and resend them if they are rejected. You should also consider using a guaranteed next day delivery, but we cannot accept postal delays as an excuse for filing late.

Directors' responsibilities

It’s the directors’ responsibility to file a company’s accounts. You could get a criminal record, a fine and disqualification if you do not deliver your accounts on time.

You must file accounts even if your company is dormant or not trading.

For the latest blogs on directors’ responsibilities and information and support to file accounts on time and online, visit the Companies House website.

Webinars

Companies House is running a series of webinars where their expert panel will be available to answer your questions about online filing and directors' responsibilities.

In the weekly 30-minute webinars, you’ll learn more about: 

• filing on time, filing online
• your accounts and how to avoid late filing penalties
• business support FAQs
• data protection from the ICO

Upcoming webinars:

• Directors' Responsibilities: Your accounts and how to avoid late filing penalties - 22/09/2021. Learn more >
• Directors' Responsibilities: What questions are most frequently asked about starting a company? - 29/09/2021. Learn more >
• Directors' Responsibilities: Data Protection – What you need to know and where to start – A webinar by the ICO - 06/10/2021. Learn more >
• Directors' Responsibilities: Everything you've asked about running a limited company - 13/10/2021. Learn more >