Companies House Changes from April 2027: What Our Limited Company Clients Need to Know
From 1 April 2027, Companies House is introducing major changes to how limited companies file their annual accounts. These reforms are part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and are designed to increase transparency, reduce fraud, and modernise the UK’s corporate register.
At Harish Accountants, we specialise in working with small and micro limited companies. We want to keep you informed — but rest assured, we will handle everything for you.
What’s Changing?
From 1 April 2027, all limited companies must:
- File annual accounts using commercial software only
- Include a profit and loss account, even for small and micro-entity companies
- Include a directors’ report, unless exempt
- Stop using abridged or filleted accounts to omit financial details
These changes apply only to limited companies. Sole traders and partnerships are not affected.
Do I Need to Do Anything
No — Harish Accountants will take care of everything for you.
We already use compliant filing software, and we’ll ensure your accounts are submitted in the correct format. This update is for your information only — we’re managing the transition in the background.
You’ll have at least one full accounting year plus 9 months to prepare — a total of 21 months from now.
What’s Filed Now vs What Will Be Filed in 2027
At the moment, if you’re a small or micro limited company, we only need to file a simplified balance sheet with Companies House. This means your:
- Turnover
- Expenses
- Profit
- Directors’ report
…are not visible to the public.
From April 2027, This Will Change
Your filing will need to include:
- A full profit and loss account
- The balance sheet
- A directors’ report (unless exempt)
This means your company’s revenue, costs, and net profit will be publicly visible on the Companies House register for the first time.
What This Means for You
While Harish Accountants will continue to prepare and file everything on your behalf, it’s important to be aware of the following:
Potential Benefits
- It may help improve access to business loans or trade credit
- Can increase trust and credibility with suppliers and partners
Possible Drawbacks
- Competitors will be able to see your income and profit
- Less financial privacy than you may be used to
Why Are These Changes Happening? (Companies House Perspective)
These changes are part of a wider reform programme introduced by the UK government through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
From Companies House’s perspective, the aim is to:
- 🛡️ Improve the accuracy and reliability of company data
Filing through approved software reduces formatting errors and ensures that information is submitted in a consistent, structured format. - 🔍 Help detect and prevent fraud
By increasing the amount of financial information on the public record — such as turnover and profit — it becomes harder for individuals to misuse minimal disclosures to conceal fraudulent activity. - 💼 Support lenders, suppliers, and other businesses
Making basic profit and loss information available helps those doing business with a company make informed decisions, particularly when offering credit or trade terms. - ⚙️ Modernise the filing system
Software-only filing is intended to streamline the process, speed up Companies House processing times, and make the system more secure compared to paper or manual uploads.
These reforms reflect the government’s goal of making the UK’s corporate register more transparent, more reliable, and harder to exploit.
What’s Not Changing?
You can still use Companies House’s online services to file other documents like:
- Confirmation statements
- Director and PSC updates
These services are not affected by the new rules — only the way accounts are filed is changing.
Questions?
We’re here to help you stay compliant without the stress. If you’re a limited company director, PSC, or someone who files with Companies House, speak to us today.
info@harish.co.uk | 01933 273910
We’ll explain exactly what you need to do and take care of it for you.