What is a Confirmation Statement?
The Confirmation Statement is an annual filing obligation for every UK limited company. It was introduced in June 2016, replacing the old Annual Return (form AR01). The change simplified the process — instead of re-entering all company information from scratch each year, directors simply confirm that the information currently held at Companies House is correct (or update any details that have changed).
It is important to understand what the Confirmation Statement is not. It is not your annual accounts — those are a separate filing that reports your financial performance. The Confirmation Statement is purely about confirming or updating the public record of your company's structure and key details.
The Confirmation Statement covers the following information:
When must you file a Confirmation Statement?
Every UK limited company must file a Confirmation Statement at least once every 12 months. There is no minimum gap between filings — you can file multiple times per year if needed (for example, if your shareholder structure changes mid-year and you want to update the register promptly).
Your first Confirmation Statement is due within 12 months of your company's date of incorporation. After that, each subsequent filing covers a 12-month "review period" — the period from the date of your last filing (or incorporation date, for the first one) up to your confirmation date.
Key dates to understand:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Review period | The 12-month period your Confirmation Statement covers |
| Confirmation date | The last date of your review period (your "CS anniversary") |
| Filing deadline | 14 days after your confirmation date |
| First filing due | Within 12 months of incorporation |
| Filing frequency | At least once per 12-month review period |
Companies House will send reminder emails before your confirmation date. However, it is your legal responsibility as a director to ensure the filing is made — failure to receive a reminder does not excuse a missed deadline.
How to file your Confirmation Statement
There are two filing methods. Online is strongly recommended — it is faster, cheaper, and more straightforward.
Online via Companies House WebFiling
£34 fee
Log in to WebFiling at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Follow the on-screen prompts to review and confirm or update each section. Pay the £34 fee by debit/credit card. Receive instant electronic acknowledgement.
Paper form CS01
£62 fee
Complete form CS01 and post to Companies House with a cheque for £62. Processing takes significantly longer and the fee is nearly double the online rate. Not recommended for standard filings.
The typical online filing process takes around 10–15 minutes for a straightforward company with no changes to report:
- 1Log in to Companies House WebFiling using your company's authentication code
- 2Select "File a confirmation statement" from your company's filing options
- 3Review each section — registered office, SIC codes, directors, shareholders, PSC register
- 4Update any details that have changed since your last filing
- 5Confirm that all information is accurate and up to date
- 6Pay the £34 fee
- 7Receive your electronic acknowledgement — filing complete
What information does it contain?
The Confirmation Statement covers all the key publicly held information about your company. Here is a section-by-section breakdown of what each part contains:
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Statement of Capital | Share classes (ordinary, preference, etc.), total number of shares issued, total paid-up value, total unpaid value |
| SIC codes | Standard Industrial Classification codes describing your business activity (up to 4 codes) |
| Trading status | Whether the company is trading or non-trading (dormant) |
| Registered office | The official address of the company for legal correspondence |
| Shareholder list | Names, addresses, and details of shares held by each shareholder |
| PSC register | Details of any person or entity with significant control over the company (25%+ shares, votes, or other influence) |
Consequences of not filing
Missing your Confirmation Statement deadline is more serious than many directors realise. Unlike some HMRC obligations where late filing triggers an immediate financial penalty, Companies House's response is to initiate dissolution — which can have far more severe consequences than a fine.
Stage 1 — Warning letters
Companies House sends formal warning letters to the company's registered office. These are addressed to the company (not the directors personally), so if your registered office address is out of date, you may not receive them.
Stage 2 — Gazette notice
A notice is published in the London Gazette (the official public record) announcing Companies House's intention to strike the company off the register. This is publicly visible and searchable.
Stage 3 — Company dissolution
If no response is received, the company is struck off the register and ceases to exist as a legal entity. Its assets (including bank accounts and any property) vest in the Crown.
Directors of a company that has been struck off can be held personally liable for debts incurred after the date of dissolution. This is one of the most significant risks of allowing a company to be struck off inadvertently.
A struck-off company can be restored to the register, but this requires a court order or administrative restoration — a complex and expensive process (typically £500–£1,500+ in professional fees plus court costs). Filing your Confirmation Statement on time, even if late, is always preferable to allowing dissolution to proceed.
Confirmation Statement vs Annual Accounts
These two filings are frequently confused, but they are entirely separate obligations. Here is a clear comparison:
| Factor | Confirmation Statement | Annual Accounts |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Confirms company details (directors, shareholders, etc.) | Reports financial performance (profit, loss, assets) |
| Filed with | Companies House | Companies House (and HMRC for Corp Tax) |
| Frequency | At least annually | Annually |
| Deadline | 14 days after review period end | 9 months after accounting reference date |
| Fee | £34 (online) | Free (electronic filing) |
| Content | Non-financial company information | Balance sheet, P&L, notes |
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is a confirmation statement?
A Confirmation Statement is an annual filing that every UK limited company must make to Companies House. It confirms that the publicly held information about your company — including its registered office address, directors, shareholders, share structure, SIC codes, and Persons with Significant Control — is accurate and up to date. It replaced the old Annual Return in June 2016. It is not the same as your annual accounts, which are filed separately.
When is my first confirmation statement due?
Your first Confirmation Statement is due within 12 months of your company's incorporation date. After that, you must file at least once every 12 months. You have 14 days from the end of your review period to submit the filing. Companies House will send reminder emails in advance of your deadline, but it is your legal responsibility to ensure it is filed on time regardless of whether you receive a reminder.
How much does it cost to file?
Filing a Confirmation Statement online via Companies House WebFiling costs £34. Filing on paper (using form CS01) costs £62. The £34 fee covers all filings within a 12-month period — so if you file more than once in a year (which is permitted), you only pay once per year. If there have been no changes to your company's information, you still pay the £34 fee to confirm everything remains the same.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
There is no automatic financial penalty for filing a Confirmation Statement late (unlike VAT returns, for example). However, failure to file will trigger Companies House strike-off proceedings. First, Companies House issues formal warning letters. Then a notice is published in the London Gazette. If no action is taken, the company is struck off the register and dissolved. Directors of a struck-off company can be personally liable for debts incurred after dissolution. The company can be restored, but this is a complex and expensive process. It is always better to file late than not at all.
Is a confirmation statement the same as annual accounts?
No. They are two entirely separate filings. The Confirmation Statement confirms your company's registered details (directors, shareholders, registered office, etc.) and is filed annually with a £34 fee. Annual accounts report your company's financial performance for the year — profit, loss, assets, liabilities — and are filed separately. Annual accounts have different deadlines (9 months after your accounting reference date for private companies) and are filed free of charge electronically.