Companies House Accounts Filing Reforms Delayed to April 2028

Written by James

If you run a limited company and had April 2027 marked down for a shake-up in how you file your annual accounts, you’ve got more breathing room. The Companies House accounts reforms will now start from 1 April 2028 instead — a one-year delay.

What the Companies House accounts reforms change

These reforms come from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA). They’re a genuine shift in how small companies and micro-entities report to Companies House. From April 2028:

• Software-only filing. Companies House will withdraw the WebFiling service and paper accounts — you’ll need to file digitally through commercial software, tagged in iXBRL format.
• Profit and loss accounts required. Small companies and micro-entities will need to file a profit and loss account for the first time, not just a balance sheet.
• Abridged accounts scrapped. Companies House is removing the option to file a reduced, abridged set of accounts.
• Directors’ reports dropped for small companies. As a partial trade-off, small companies will no longer need to prepare a directors’ report.

There’s some relief on the transparency side: you’ll be able to opt out of having your profit and loss account published on the public register. You’ll still need to file it, though, and HMRC, Companies House and law enforcement will still be able to see it.

Why the delay

The Government paused the original April 2027 start date in January 2026, after pushback from accountants and business groups. Most of that pushback centred on the sudden loss of abridged accounts and concerns about software readiness. Rather than dropping the reforms, the Government has confirmed they’re going ahead — just a year later than planned, with the more contentious elements largely intact.

Should you do anything now?

Nothing is due immediately — most companies now have a full extra accounting year to prepare. But it’s worth treating this as confirmed rather than shelved:

• If you’re still filing via WebFiling or paper, start planning your move to commercial accounting software well before 2028.
• If you’d prefer your profit and loss figures not to appear on the public register, note that the opt-out exists — but you’ll still need to prepare the figures either way.
• If you’re currently weighing up sole trader vs limited company, factor this extra admin into that decision.

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Get ahead of it

If you run a limited company and want your accounts and software ready well before 2028, PBAS can help you plan the transition rather than leaving it to the last minute. We support sole traders and limited companies across East Lothian, Edinburgh and Scotland with year-end accounts and ongoing bookkeeping. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat →

This article provides general guidance only. For official detail see Companies House guidance on GOV.UK, or speak to a qualified bookkeeper.