accounts filing requirements

Company Accounts Filing Requirements

All companies, trading or non trading, must keep accounting records. The level of financial data included in a report is dependant on the information filed by the company at Companies House.

What financial information is included in the credit report?

In the UK filing regulations are determined by the size of the company. There are three variations on filing accounts and these impact on the amount of information available in a credit report. Each company must deliver the following to Companies House:

	Small companies	Medium companies	Large companies
Balance sheet	Abbreviated balance sheet with notes.	Full balance sheet.	Full balance sheet signed by a director.
Profit and Loss Turnover	No. Profit and loss account or turnover are not required.	Abbreviated profit and loss account (no turnover disclosed).	Full profit and loss account including turnover.
Auditor's report	Special auditor’s report (if required).	Special auditor’s report.	Auditor's report signed by an auditor.
Directors' report	No.	Yes.	Yes. signed by a director or the secretary of the company.
Notes to the accounts	No.	Yes.	Yes, and if appropriate, group accounts.
	example of a report on a small company	example of a report on a medium company	example of a report on a large company

What determines the size of a company?

For companies with financial years starting before 6 April 2008, the company must meet at least two of the following three criteria:
	Small sized company	Medium sized company	Large sized company
Annual Turnover:	must not exceed £5.6m	must not exceed £22.8m	more than £22.8m
Balance Sheet total:	must not exceed £2.8m	must not exceed £11.4m	more than £11.4m
Number employees:	no more than 50	no more than 250	250 or more

For companies with financial years starting on or after 6 April 2008, the company must meet at least two of the following three criteria:
	Small sized company	Medium sized company	Large sized company
Annual Turnover:	must not exceed £6.5m	must not exceed £25.9m	more than £25.9m
Balance Sheet total:	must not exceed £3.26m	must not exceed £12.9m	more than £12.9m
Number employees:	no more than 50	no more than 250	250 or more

Filing exemptions

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.

Download the Companies House Guide to Filing Accounts

For more information on preparing and filing accounts and the exemptions available to small and medium sized companies please click here to download the full Companies House guide.