accounts filing requirements

UK Companies Filing Requirements

Filing regulations are determined by the size of the company.

All companies, trading or non trading, must keep accounting records. There are three variations on filing accounts and these impact on the amount of information available in a credit report.

If they are eligible and wish to, medium-sized, small and dormant companies may prepare and file 'abbreviated accounts. Exemptions are not available to public companies, banking, insurance or shipping companies and any of their subsidiaries regardless of size.

Private Limited companies must file accounts within twenty-two months of incorporation.
Public Limited companies must file accounts within nineteen months of incorporation.

Small Company Filing Requirements

Small companies must deliver the following filings to Companies House:

Abbreviated balance sheet and notes
Special auditor’s report (if required)
Small companies are not required to file profit and loss, employees and turnover

A small sized company is one that meets at least two of the following three criteria.

For financial years starting before 6 April 2008:

Annual turnover must not be more £5.6 million
The balance sheet total must not exceed £2.8 million
The average number of employees must not be more than 50

For financial years starting on or after 6 April 2008:

Annual turnover must not be more £6.5 million
The balance sheet total must not exceed £3.26 million
The average number of employees must not be more than 50

Click here for an example of a full report on a small sized company ( this is an example only )

Medium Company Filing Requirements

Medium companies must deliver the following filings to Companies House:

Full balance sheet
Abbreviated profit and loss account (no turnover disclosed)
Special auditors’ report
Directors’ report
Notes to the Accounts
Medium companies are not required to file turnover

A medium sized company is one that meets at least two of the following three criteria.

For financial years starting before 6 April 2008:

Annual turnover must not be more £22.8 million or less
The balance sheet total must not exceed £11.4 million
The average number of employees must not be more than 250

For financial years starting on or after 6 April 2008:

Annual turnover must not be more £25.9 million
The balance sheet total must not exceed £12.9 million
The average number of employees must not be more than 250

Click here for an example of a full report on a medium sized company ( this is an example only )

Full Company Filing Requirements

A full filing company must deliver the following filings to Companies House:

A profit and loss account
A balance sheet signed by a director
An auditors report signed by an auditor
A directors’ report signed by a director or the secretary of the company
Notes to the Accounts
And, if appropriate, group accounts

Click here for an example of a full report on a full filing company ( this is an example only )

Dormant or Non Trading Company Filing Requirements

A non-trading company must deliver Dormant Accounts annually.

Dormant accounts include very little information except for assets and shares held.
A dormant company will not be assigned a credit score or limit due to the lack of financial data. See Dormant Companies for more information.

Newly Incorporated Company Filing Requirements

New Private Limited companies must file accounts within 10 months of the year end
New Public Limited companies must file accounts within 7 months of the year end

Where no accounts have been filed at Companies House it is not possible to assign a credit score or limit due to the lack of financial data. See Calculating the Credit Score for more information.

Wind-Up or Liquidation

There will be little or no information avaiilable and therefore no credit score or limit assigned.