Companies House accounts are changing:
what small companies need to prepare for

What has Companies House announced?

Companies House confirmed the new accounts-filing timetable in June 2026
as part of reforms introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate
Transparency Act.

The reforms are designed to improve the quality of information held on the
companies register and make company financial information easier to process
and analyse.

The biggest practical change for ordinary small companies is that accounts
filing is moving fully into software.

When do the new rules start?

The main changes are now scheduled to take effect from
1 April 2028.

This is later than originally expected.

Companies House previously planned major accounts reforms for April 2027,
but the government reviewed the implementation timetable and has given
businesses more time to prepare.

Will every company have to use accounting software?

For filing annual accounts with Companies House, yes.

From April 2028, Companies House says all UK registered companies will need
to submit annual accounts through commercial software using the required
digital reporting format.

That applies whether:

• you prepare and file the accounts yourself
• an accountant prepares them for you
• the company is small
• the company qualifies as a micro-entity

The existing Companies House web and paper routes for annual accounts will
therefore close when the new system takes effect.

Does this mean every small company’s profit will become public?

No — and this is an important part of the final announcement.

Small companies and micro-entities will be required to submit their profit
and loss account to Companies House.

But they will be able to choose not to have that information published on
the public register.

Companies House, HMRC and relevant law-enforcement bodies will still be able
to access the information.

Why was the privacy concession added?

One of the concerns raised about the original reforms was that publishing
detailed profit and loss information could reveal commercially sensitive
information about very small businesses.

A competitor, supplier or customer could potentially gain a much clearer
picture of a small company’s sales and profitability.

The government therefore decided that small companies and micro-entities
should still provide the information to Companies House while retaining an
option to keep it off the public register.

What happens to abridged accounts?

The reforms will remove the ability for companies to prepare abridged
accounts.

Abridged accounts currently allow eligible smaller companies to reduce some
of the information included in the accounts filed at Companies House.

Under the new regime, the filing requirements will become more standardised.

What about audit exemption?

Companies claiming an exemption from audit will face stronger declaration
requirements.

Companies House says an eligibility statement will need to accompany the
accounts where an audit exemption is being claimed.

The purpose is to make the basis for the exemption clearer and improve the
reliability of information on the register.

What else is changing?

The reform package goes beyond software filing.

Companies House has also announced changes including:

• requiring the different components of annual accounts and reports to be
  filed together
• strengthening statements used when claiming audit exemptions
• reducing how often a company can shorten its accounting reference period
• removing abridged accounts

What is already changing in company filing?

The move towards digital filing has already started.

The old joint HMRC and Companies House online service used to file company
accounts and Corporation Tax returns closed on
31 March 2026.

From April 2026, companies that previously used that service generally need
commercial software to submit their Company Tax Return to HMRC.

Some Companies House account-filing options remain available during the
transition, but the direction is now very clear:

company reporting is becoming software-led.

What should a small company do now?

• Check how your annual accounts are currently prepared and filed.
• Ask your accountant whether they already use software that will support
  Companies House’s future filing requirements.
• If you prepare accounts yourself, avoid building a long-term process that
  depends entirely on paper or manual filing.
• Keep proper digital bookkeeping records so the eventual move is easier.
• Make sure Companies House has the company’s correct registered email
  address so important notices are received.
• Watch for further guidance on how the small-company profit-and-loss
  publication opt-out will work.

Do I need to buy new software now?

Not simply because of this announcement.

The rules do not start until April 2028 and Companies House is continuing to
publish implementation guidance.

If you already use an accountant, your accountant may deal with the software
filing on your behalf.

If you file your own accounts, there is plenty of time to understand the
available software before making a decision.

Will Companies House still have WebFiling?

Companies House’s web services will continue to exist for many
non-accounts filings.

For example, companies will still need ways to submit information such as
confirmation statements and updates to director details.

The important change is specifically that
annual accounts will move to software-only filing.

Why is Companies House making these changes?

Companies House says the reforms should improve the accuracy, reliability
and usefulness of company information.

Digital accounts can also be structured so information is easier to
compare and analyse.

The wider reform programme is also intended to make the companies register
harder to misuse for fraud and economic crime.

The Polar view

April 2028 sounds a long way away.

That is precisely why this is a useful change to know about now.

Small businesses do not need to rush.

They simply need to avoid being surprised.

Keep good digital records, understand how your accounts are filed and make
sure whoever handles them — you, Polar, an accountant or another system —
is ready well before the deadline arrives.