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Year-End Accounts for UK Limited Companies: What is Included and When to File

What are year-end accounts?

Every UK limited company must prepare annual statutory accounts at the end of each financial year. These accounts summarise the company's financial performance and position, and must be filed with both Companies House and HMRC.

What is included in year-end accounts?

• Profit and Loss account income, expenses and net profit
• Balance Sheet assets, liabilities and shareholders' equity
• Notes to the accounts additional disclosures required by law
• Director's report (for larger companies)

Alongside the accounts, a Corporation Tax return (CT600) must be filed with HMRC, declaring your taxable profits and the Corporation Tax owed.

Filing deadlines

• Companies House: 9 months after your company's year-end
• HMRC (CT600): 12 months after your accounting period ends
• Corporation Tax payment: 9 months and 1 day after year-end

For a company with a 31 March year-end, accounts must reach Companies House by 31 December, and Corporation Tax must be paid by 1 January.

Penalties for late filing

Companies House imposes automatic penalties for late filing, starting at £150 for up to 1 month late and rising to £1,500 for over 6 months. HMRC charges a £100 flat penalty immediately, with further penalties if the return is more than 3 months late.

What accounting standard applies?

Most small UK companies prepare accounts under FRS 102 Section 1A or FRS 105 (micro-entities). The right standard depends on your company's size and turnover. Your accountant will advise which applies to you.

Running an accounting practice and receiving year-end files with messy books? See how firms outsource bookkeeping in the UK so records are reconciled well before year end.