Companies House accounts filing reforms

Companies House accounts filing reforms: what’s changing for abridged and filleted accounts?

If you run a small company or micro-entity, you may have seen recent headlines about major changes to the way accounts are filed at Companies House. The good news is that businesses now have more time to prepare. The important point is that change is still coming, and it is worth understanding what it means now so there are no surprises later.

On 9 June 2026, Companies House confirmed that the accounts filing reforms introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 will now take effect from April 2028, rather than April 2027. The aim is to improve the transparency, accuracy and reliability of information on the companies register, while giving businesses a full accounting year plus nine months to get ready.

What is changing?

The reforms will change both what companies file and how those accounts are filed. The main points are:

Small companies and micro-entities will need to file a profit and loss account with Companies House. However, there will be an option to opt out of publishing the profit and loss account on the public register, although the details of how this will work are still to be confirmed.
Abridged accounts removed. The option to prepare and file abridged accounts will be abolished, simplifying the filing regime and increasing the level of financial detail submitted.
All companies will need to file their annual accounts using commercial software. in a digital (iXBRL) format. All paper and web-based filing routes will be removed for accounts submissions.

What does this mean for your business?

Greater transparency with more control

The biggest practical change is that small companies and micro-entities will need to file a profit and loss account with Companies House. For many owner-managed businesses, this is a significant shift because the profit and loss account shows more detail about turnover, costs and profit than has typically appeared on the public record under the current filing options.

Companies House has said that smaller companies should be able to opt out of publishing the profit and loss account publicly, but the information will still need to be filed. This means directors should be ready for a more detailed filing process and should make sure the figures being submitted are accurate, complete and supported by good bookkeeping records.

A shift to fully digital reporting

The move to software-only filing reflects a broader push towards standardised, digital-first reporting. For businesses still relying on manual or basic filing processes, this will necessitate investment in systems, software and potentially new workflows. Where we already prepare and file accounts on behalf of clients, we have the processes and software in place to manage this transition seamlessly

How Wild & Co can help

At Wild & Co, we believe accountancy should give you confidence, not confusion. We work closely with our clients to simplify the numbers, improve systems and make sure they know what is coming before it becomes urgent.

If you are unsure how the Companies House reforms will affect your business, or whether your current accounting setup is ready for software-only filing, please get in touch. We will be happy to talk it through and help you put the right steps in place. Call us on 01423 222710

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