Accounts Filing Is Changing: Here’s What You Need To Know

On 9 June 2026, the Government confirmed that significant changes to how companies file their annual accounts with Companies House will come into effect from 1 April 2028. These reforms, introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 ("ECCTA"), will affect every UK-registered company but will be felt most acutely by small companies and micro-entities that have, until now, enjoyed a lighter reporting burden.

Companies have 21 months (one full accounting year, plus 9 months) to prepare, and those that rely on Companies House web-filing or paper submissions for their accounts will need to change how they operate entirely. 

Why is this happening?

The accounts reforms form part of the same programme of change that introduced mandatory identity verification last year (see our earlier article on this available here: https://www.hunterslaw.com/insights/mandatory-identity-verification-is-coming-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ ). The objective is the same: to improve the transparency, accuracy and reliability of data on the companies register.

For years, small companies and micro-entities have been able to file abbreviated or abridged accounts that revealed very little about their financial performance. While this offered privacy, it also meant that Companies House had limited visibility over the financial health and activity of a significant proportion of UK companies. These reforms close aim to improve that visibility. 

What is changing?

There are two headline changes, supported by other smaller technical amendments, which take effect from 1 April 2028:

Profit and loss accounts for small companies and micro-entities - Small companies and micro-entities will be required to file a profit and loss (P&L) account with Companies House, as larger companies already do.

However, small companies and micro-entities will be able to opt out of having their profit and loss accounts published on the public register. The P&L will still be filed with and accessible to Companies House, but it need not be made publicly available. Details of how the opt-out mechanism will work in practice have not yet been confirmed. 

Software-only filing - All companies (regardless of size) will be required to file their annual accounts using commercial software in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL) format. From 1 April 2028, the Companies House web-filing and paper filing routes will be closed for accounts filings. 

Other changes - The reforms also remove the option for companies to file abridged accounts, introduce a strengthened eligibility statement for companies claiming an audit exemption, require all component parts of the accounts and reports to be filed together, and reduce the number of times a company can shorten its accounting reference period. 

Deadlines and practical steps

The reforms take effect on 1 April 2028 (postponed from the originally announced date of 1 April 2027) to give companies more time to prepare. 

If your company currently files accounts via the Companies House web-filing service or on paper, you will need to transition to commercial software before the deadline. This applies equally to companies that file their own accounts and those that use third-party agents or accountants.

Companies House recommends taking the following steps now:

• Be aware of what type of accounts your company files and whether you qualify as a small company or micro-entity.
• Ensure you have your company authentication code.
• Apply for a presenter account with Companies House if you do not already have one.
• Use the Companies House software tool to find a suitable iXBRL-compatible software package.
• Contact your chosen software provider(s) and consider changing to software filing as soon as possible.
• Make sure you are ready to file using software from 1 April 2028.

Act now: how Hunters can help

For many owner-managed businesses, the shift to mandatory P&L filing and software-only submission will require coordination between the company, its accountants, and its corporate service providers. As a company secretarial provider and registered Authorised Corporate Service Provider ("ACSP"), Hunters is well placed to help you navigate these changes.

If Hunters already files your confirmation statements and manages your company's statutory records as part of our company secretarial packages, we will work with you and your accountants to ensure your accounts filing arrangements are compliant ahead of the April 2028 deadline. 

If Hunters already files your dormant accounts, we will continue to do so in the same way, due to already using one of the software provider(s) approved by Companies House.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.