Confirmation statement questions — answered

What is a confirmation statement?

A confirmation statement is a yearly filing to Companies House confirming your company's key details are up to date — directors, shareholders, registered address, and SIC code. It was formerly called the Annual Return. It is not the same as annual accounts. Every active UK limited company must file one every 12 months. The filing fee is £34 online or £62 by paper.

When is the confirmation statement due?

Your confirmation statement is due within 14 days of your confirmation date — the anniversary of your company's incorporation, or the anniversary of your last confirmation statement if you have already filed one. Companies House sends a reminder email approximately four weeks before the due date. Missing the 14-day window does not immediately result in a penalty, but continued failure to file leads to strike-off.

How much does a confirmation statement cost?

The fee is payable once per 12-month review period regardless of how many times you update your details within that period. Your accountant includes this as part of a full-service package.

What is the difference between a confirmation statement and annual accounts?

Key difference: Confirmation statement confirms who runs the company; annual accounts show how the company performed financially. They are separate filings with different deadlines. Confirmation statement: due 14 days after your confirmation date. Annual accounts: due 9 months after your company year end. Missing either carries separate consequences.

What happens if I miss the confirmation statement deadline?

Companies House will send reminder notices. If the statement is filed late but eventually submitted, there is no direct financial penalty — unlike HMRC late filing penalties. However, if you persistently fail to file, Companies House will send a strike-off warning and ultimately dissolve (strike off) your company. Restoring a struck-off company costs £468 in filing fees plus solicitor costs and is a significant headache. Set a calendar reminder — it takes 10 minutes to file online.

What information do I need to confirm or update?

If nothing has changed, you simply confirm the existing information. If something has changed — new director, share transfer, address change — you update it at the same time.

What is a SIC code and do I need to change it?

SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) code describes your business activity. Common codes for contractors:

• 62012 — Software development
• 62020 — IT consultancy
• 70229 — Management consulting
• 74909 — Other professional/technical activities

You can have multiple SIC codes. If your business activity has changed since you incorporated, update your SIC code via the confirmation statement. Using the wrong SIC code is not a criminal offence but can affect how HMRC risk-scores your returns.

Can I file the confirmation statement myself?

You can file it yourself via Companies House WebFiling at companieshouse.gov.uk — it takes approximately 10 minutes if nothing has changed. Most full-service accountants include confirmation statement filing in their monthly fee. Autobooks includes it as standard. If you are filing it yourself, make sure you have your authentication code from Companies House.

What is a first confirmation statement?

Your first confirmation statement is due within 14 days of the first anniversary of your incorporation date, or within 14 days of the first anniversary of your last annual return if you incorporated before June 2016. For a new company, it is your first contact with Companies House after incorporation. The process is identical to subsequent years — log in, confirm details, pay £34.

Does my accountant need to file the confirmation statement?

Not necessarily — you can file it yourself. However, most contractors find it simpler to have their accountant handle it as part of a full-service package. It ensures the filing is on time, any changes are correctly recorded, and the SIC code and share structure details are accurate. Autobooks handles confirmation statement filing for all clients as part of the standard monthly fee.

Can my company be struck off for missing the confirmation statement?

If Companies House does not receive a confirmation statement and cannot contact the company, it will issue a strike-off notice in the London Gazette and ultimately remove the company from the register. This terminates the company's legal existence. Any assets in the company at the point of dissolution pass to the Crown. It is reversible but expensive and time-consuming. Do not miss two consecutive confirmation statements.

What is the difference between the confirmation statement and the annual return?

The annual return was replaced by the confirmation statement in June 2016. They serve the same purpose — confirming company information to Companies House — but the confirmation statement is simpler. The annual return required you to confirm all information whether or not it had changed. The confirmation statement only requires you to update what has actually changed, with pre-populated information for everything else. If your company was incorporated before 2016, your old annual return records are still held by Companies House. The £34 fee and annual filing obligation is the same principle as the old annual return.

What information is on the Companies House public register?

Companies House maintains a public register — anyone can look up your company online at companies house.gov.uk. The public register shows: your company name and number, registered office address, director names and countries of residence (not full address), SIC codes, PSC register, filing history including all confirmation statements and accounts, and share capital. Your director's full residential address is kept on a protected register and is not public — only the service address is shown. If you use a registered office service (such as a virtual address), that address appears publicly rather than your home address.

Can I use a virtual office address as my registered office?

Yes — and for sole director contractors working from home, this is strongly recommended. Your registered office address appears on the public Companies House register and on all official correspondence. Using a professional registered office address (typically £50–£150/year) keeps your home address off the public record. The address must be a physical UK address where official documents can be received and forwarded to you — a PO Box alone is not sufficient. Many contractor accountants, including Autobooks, provide a registered office address as part of their service.

What happens to my confirmation statement if I have multiple shareholders?

The confirmation statement itself is unchanged — one filing per company per year. However, the shareholder information section must reflect all shareholders accurately, including their names, addresses, and the number and class of shares held. If you have issued shares to a spouse, business partner, or investor during the year, this must be updated. Each shareholder who holds 25% or more of shares must also appear on the PSC register. Your accountant will ensure the shareholder information is correct before filing.