What Happens If I Forget to File My Confirmation Statement

What is a Confirmation Statement

A Confirmation Statement (form CS01) is a legal requirement for all companies registered in the UK. It replaced the Annual Return in 2016.

The statement confirms key details about your company, such as:

• Registered office address.

• Directors and company secretary (if applicable).

• Shareholders and share capital.

• People with Significant Control (PSC).

• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code.

You must file a Confirmation Statement at least once every 12 months, even if nothing has changed. It ensures that Companies House and the public have accurate information about your business.

When the Confirmation Statement is due

You must file your Confirmation Statement within 14 days of your review date. The review date is usually the anniversary of your company’s incorporation or the date you last filed a Confirmation Statement.

For example, if your company was incorporated on 10 March 2023, your review date will be 10 March 2024, and the statement must be filed by 24 March 2024.

You can file it early if you need to update your company’s details, but you must still file at least one statement every 12 months.

What happens if you forget to file on time

If you miss the deadline for filing your Confirmation Statement, Companies House will send you reminders by email or post. However, there are no late filing penalties like those applied to company accounts.

Even so, failure to file your Confirmation Statement is a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006. Both the company and its directors can face consequences if the statement remains overdue.

1. The company may be struck off

If your Confirmation Statement is overdue for too long, Companies House can begin strike-off proceedings to remove your company from the register.

This means your company will cease to exist as a legal entity, and all its assets, including money in bank accounts, will become the property of the Crown.

2. Directors may be prosecuted

Directors have a legal responsibility to ensure the Confirmation Statement is filed on time. If you repeatedly fail to file, you could be prosecuted, fined personally, and even disqualified from acting as a company director in the future.

3. Your company’s reputation and credit may be affected

If your company fails to file, Companies House will mark its record as overdue, which is visible to the public. This can harm your company’s reputation with clients, suppliers, and lenders.

Credit agencies also monitor Companies House records, so failing to keep filings up to date can damage your company’s credit rating.

4. It may affect other filings

If you try to file company accounts or make other changes while your Confirmation Statement is overdue, Companies House may reject those filings until your record is brought up to date.

How to fix a missed Confirmation Statement

If you realise you have missed your filing deadline, act quickly to bring your company’s record up to date.

Step 1: File the Confirmation Statement immediately

You can file online through the Companies House website using the WebFiling or Find and Update Company Information service.

You will need:

• Your company number.

• The company authentication code (a six-digit password sent to your registered office).

• Your updated company information, if anything has changed.

There is a filing fee of £13 when submitted online or £40 for paper submissions.

Step 2: Check and update your company details

Before filing, review your company information to ensure it is accurate. If you need to make changes (for example, updating shareholders or PSCs), you can do this as part of the same submission.

Step 3: Wait for confirmation

Once Companies House receives and processes your statement, your company record will be updated, and the overdue status will be removed.

If strike-off proceedings have already started, filing the overdue Confirmation Statement quickly may stop the process.

What to do if your company has been struck off

If your company has already been struck off for failing to file its Confirmation Statement, you can apply to restore it through Companies House or the courts.

To restore a company, you must:

• Apply within six years of the strike-off date.

• File any outstanding documents, including Confirmation Statements and accounts.

• Pay any outstanding fees and penalties.

Restoration can take several weeks, and legal or administrative costs may apply, so it is best to act before the company is dissolved.

How to avoid missing future deadlines

Forgetting to file your Confirmation Statement is easy to avoid with a few simple steps:

• Set reminders in your calendar for the review date and filing deadline.

• Sign up for Companies House email alerts.

• Use an accountant or company secretary service to manage filings on your behalf.

• File early if you need to update your company’s details.

Many accounting firms offer company secretarial services that handle all your filings, ensuring you never miss a deadline again.

How an accountant can help

An accountant can take the stress out of managing company filings by:

• Monitoring deadlines for your Confirmation Statement and accounts.

• Reviewing your company information for accuracy.

• Filing updates with Companies House on time.

• Advising on any changes to share capital, directors, or PSCs.

By keeping your records accurate and up to date, you reduce the risk of penalties, strike-off, and reputational damage.

Final thoughts

Forgetting to file your Confirmation Statement might seem like a small mistake, but it can have serious consequences if left unresolved. Acting quickly to submit the overdue statement will usually fix the issue, but persistent non-compliance can lead to company dissolution or director penalties.

Setting up reminders, using professional help, or delegating the responsibility to an accountant ensures your company stays compliant with Companies House and maintains its good standing. Staying organised is the simplest way to protect your business from unnecessary risk.