How to File your Companies House Annual Accounts

5 June 2020 (Updated 1 May 2024)

By Cathy Chambers

How to submit your Companies House Annual Accounts at the same time as making your annual CT600 Corporation Tax return.

Companies House requires you to file a set of accounts with them 9 months after the end of your financial period. HMRC also requires you to file accounts along with your CT600, this is in addition to the accounts you file at Companies House, however, you have 12 months to file to HMRC. The accounts you file at Companies House are either micro-entity accounts or abridged accounts, depending on the size of your Company. In this article, we explain how to create these accounts and file to Companies House using EasyDigitalFiling.com software.

The accounts submitted to HMRC are in addition to the accounts filed at Companies House. HMRC require these accounts to have an income (or profit and loss) statement and a balance sheet. Companies House only requires you to submit the balance sheet figures of your accounts, some balance sheet notes and statutory declarations. They do not require the profit and loss account figures.

How to create your Companies House Accounts

If you are also creating your HMRC CT600 Corporation Tax Return at the same time simply create your CT600 and either MICRO Entity Accounts or Small Accounts to accompany the CT600 Corporation Tax filings, as the Company House filing simply takes the balance sheet information from the respective/ selected IXBRL Company Accounts.
However, if you are only creating a Companies House filing create a Companies House filing and also a set of accounts(where you input the accounts data). You can do this either in the QuickStart menu:

Add companies house filing to corporation tax CT600

Or by going to the New filings button and creating both a Companies House Filing and an IXBRL Accounts filing.

Once you have created your filings you need to enter your balance sheet figures. This is done in the accounts template.

Companies House micro company balance sheet

After you have finished entering in your balance sheet information, open up your Companies House filing from the main filing screen.

Companies House micro company filing Home

From the drop down menu select your accounts you have just completed. Then enter in your company authentication code. Then set your filing "Ready to File"

Companies House micro accounts company filing selection

Your filing is now ready to submit to Companies House. However, before submitting its important to review your filing by going to the review icon. Once you have submitted your accounts to Companies House, it is not possible to update them electronically. You can only do this by sending a signed hard copy by post.

Once you are happy your filing is correct, click the green submit button and your filing will be submitted to Companies House.

Unlike HMRC, Companies House does not always accept your filing immediately (although in most cases it will be within 20 minutes), it can take however up to 5 working days. Once submitted, your filings will show in review and then accepted. We will email you as soon as your accounts have been accepted.

If for any reason your accounts are rejected, we will email you and you will be able to amend your accounts and re-submit to Companies House.

If you require additional help creating your accounts please see our guide on creating Micro Accounts or watch the video below.

Author: Cathy Chambers

Cathy is one of our Co-Founders and CEO. Her career so far spans 30 years across Business, Personnel, Accounting and Finance with a background working at large multi-national enterprises as well as startups. Cathy's extensive accounting knowledge and detailed understanding of the customer experience is the driving force behind Easy Digital.

Read All articles by Cathy Chambers

This article is information only and has been prepared for general guidance on matters of interest only, and does not constitute legal, accounting, tax, investment or other professional advice or services. You should not act upon the information contained in this article without obtaining specific professional or legal advice. No representation or warranty (express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this article, and, to the extent permitted by law, Comdal Limited, its members, employees and agents do not accept or assume any liability, responsibility or duty of care for any consequences of you or anyone else acting, or refraining to act, in reliance on the information contained in this publication or for any decision based on it.