If your business is a UK limited company, there is one filing you cannot afford to overlook—the confirmation statement. It might not look urgent next to your accounts, tax deadlines, or payroll, but it is legally required and affects how your company appears on the public record. Even if nothing in your business has changed, the statement must still be submitted once a year. Failing to file it puts your company at risk of penalties, loss of good standing, or even dissolution. In this blog, we break down what the confirmation statement is, what information it includes, when it is due, and why we make sure every AFG client stays ahead of this simple but important obligation.
A confirmation statement is a snapshot of your company’s core details as held by Companies House. It confirms that the information on the public register is accurate and up to date. Before 2016, this document was known as the annual return. The current format is simpler, but the responsibility remains the same. Filing the confirmation statement is not optional. Even if nothing has changed in your company’s structure, officers, or ownership, you still need to submit a confirmation that the existing details are correct. It is a legal requirement under the Companies Act 2006.
All UK limited companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) must file a confirmation statement at least once every twelve months. The due date is usually the anniversary of the company’s incorporation or the last time the statement was filed. You have fourteen days from the due date to submit the new statement. If you miss that window, Companies House can issue warnings, fines, or eventually strike off your company for non-compliance. It does not matter if your company is dormant, not trading, or small. If it is active on the Companies House register, the confirmation statement must be submitted. This applies even if your accounts and tax returns are up to date.
The statement includes the following information: your company name and registration number, the registered office address, the single or multiple SIC codes that describe your business activity, the details of all directors and company secretaries, the statement of capital (if applicable), and the register of people with significant control (PSCs). It must also include the shareholder structure and any changes since the last filing. If nothing has changed since the last statement, you simply confirm that the existing information is still correct. If there have been changes, you must update the register before submitting the statement. This ensures the public record reflects your current structure accurately.
Companies House is the official public register of businesses in the UK. Lenders, investors, suppliers, and even customers use it to verify who you are and how your company is structured. Inaccurate or outdated records can raise red flags. For example, if a company shows no directors or unclear ownership, it may be flagged as a risk. If your registered office address is incorrect, important legal documents may not reach you. Incomplete PSC records are also a red flag for regulators and funding providers. By filing your confirmation statement on time and keeping it accurate, you maintain transparency and demonstrate responsible management. It is a small but essential part of building trust in your business.
Missing the confirmation statement deadline starts a chain of consequences. First, Companies House will issue a notice of late filing. If the filing is not made within a reasonable time, the company can be struck off the register. That means it will legally cease to exist. Any remaining assets could be forfeited to the Crown and contracts, leases, or banking arrangements may be voided. For directors, this creates reputational and legal risk. Even if the company is restored later, the process is time consuming and costly. The risk is not worth it, especially when the filing itself is quick and straightforward with the right support in place.
Since 2016, companies have been required to maintain a register of people with significant control. A PSC is someone who holds more than 25 percent of shares or voting rights, has the right to appoint or remove directors, or otherwise exercises significant influence or control over the company. This information must be included or confirmed in the annual confirmation statement. If a new PSC is added or removed, the register must be updated before the statement is filed. Failure to disclose PSCs accurately can lead to fines or enforcement action. This is one of the areas where many small businesses struggle, either because they do not understand who qualifies as a PSC or because they forget to update the register when ownership changes.
At Allied Financial Group, we take a proactive approach to confirmation statement filing. We track each client’s filing dates, send reminders well in advance, and review the company’s current records to ensure they are accurate. If any changes have occurred—new directors, share transfers, SIC code updates, or changes to PSCs—we make the necessary updates before submitting the statement. This ensures your records are clean, compliant, and up to date. We also manage filings for dormant companies, ensuring they remain in good standing even if they are not trading. For growing businesses, we help manage more complex share structures, multi-director setups, and company secretarial changes throughout the year. We do not wait for you to tell us something has changed. We help you stay on top of it continuously.
Running a business involves hundreds of moving parts. It is easy to let something like a confirmation statement slip through the cracks. But staying on top of these core filings is part of running a healthy, credible company. It avoids unnecessary penalties, protects your company’s legal status, and reinforces trust with those who work with or fund your business. At AFG, we handle confirmation statements as part of our wider company support. That means it is not a one-off task. It is built into your compliance system and monitored with the same care as your accounts and tax filings.
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