What changed
On 23 October 2026 the government paused the plan for small companies and micro-entities to file a profit and loss account with Companies House from April 2028.
The plan came from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. The pause follows the recommendations of the Small Business Regulatory Taskforce. While it lasts, the government will look at ways to join up Companies House and HMRC filing, so that a company tells the government its figures once.
Who it affects
UK private companies that file small or micro-entity accounts at Companies House, and the accountants who file for them.
What it means for you
Today: a small company or micro-entity can file "filleted" accounts at Companies House: the balance sheet and notes, without the profit and loss account. Small companies can also file abridged accounts.
From 1 April 2028: the same choices stay open. You can still leave the profit and loss account off the public record. As a minimum:
- A micro-entity files its balance sheet, any notes, and an auditor's report unless it is exempt from audit.
- A small company files its balance sheet, any notes, and an auditor's report unless it is exempt from audit.
What still starts on 1 April 2028:
- Software only. Every set of accounts filed on or after 1 April 2028 must be filed with commercial software, in iXBRL format. The Companies House web and paper routes close for accounts. They stay open for other filings, such as the confirmation statement.
- Audit exemption statement. A company that claims an audit exemption must say on its balance sheet which exemption it claims, and confirm that it qualifies.
- Accounts filed together. The parts of the accounts and reports must be filed together.
- Shortening the year. A company that wants to shorten its accounting reference period more than once in five years must give a business reason.
Companies House also says the government intends to remove the requirement for any company to produce a directors' report. It therefore expects the new rule for small companies to file one will not apply.
What we do about it
We changed our UK accounts engine on 3 November 2026. For accounts due on or after 1 April 2028, it still prepares the filing copy as the balance sheet and notes only, and checks it before it goes out. It already prepares every set of accounts in iXBRL, the format that software filing needs. If you are a client, you do not need to do anything.
New to us? See our UK accounts and bookkeeping service, or read micro-entity accounts: who qualifies and what to file.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Companies House: Companies House update to accounts filing from April 2028 (23 October 2026)
- Companies House: Changes to accounts (checked 3 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: Using software to file your company's information