Companies House filing changes: Is your finance system ready for what’s coming?
2028 may feel far enough away to ignore, but it is close enough for outdated finance systems, incomplete records and manual processes to become a problem.
From 1 April 2028, all UK registered companies will need to file their accounts with Companies House using commercial software in iXBRL format. This applies whether companies file their own accounts or use a professional, such as an accountant. From that date, Companies House web and paper-based services will close for accounts filings, although web services will still be available for other statutory company information.
For business owners, the change is a useful prompt to review whether their records are complete, accurate, and ready for digital filing. For incorporated law firms, it may affect their own company accounts. Solicitors advising company clients may also see more questions about filing obligations, company records, and accounts privacy.
These changes apply to LLPs as well as companies, so law firms operating through an LLP structure should expect the same software-only filing requirements to apply to their own accounts.
The issue is not just software
Software-only filing is the headline. The quality of the records behind the accounts is the bigger issue.
A bank feed is not the same as a set of accounts. A company may have sales invoices in accounting software, payroll in another system, director expenses in email folders, and loan records on a spreadsheet. At year-end, the accountant may still have to rebuild the picture manually.
That may work for filing historic accounts, but it is weak if the owners need to know whether cash is available for tax, payroll, dividends, or investment.
Filing software can submit accounts. It cannot decide whether, for example, £18,000 sitting in a suspense account relates to expenses, drawings, a director’s loan or dividends. Someone still has to explain and support the number.
Small companies should not wait until 2028
Companies House has confirmed that small companies and micro-entities will need to file a profit and loss account as part of their annual accounts, though they will be able to opt out of having it published on the public register. Details of how that opt-out will work are still to be confirmed.
For small companies that rely on basic processes, this is a good time to review how financial information is recorded during the year.
For example, if a company has £75,000 in trade debtors, the system should show how much is under 30 days, over 60 days, or unlikely to be recovered. If a company has £40,000 in fixed assets, the records should show what was bought, what has been sold, and what is still used in the business.
A debtor list is not just there for the accounts. It shows who has not paid. A fixed asset register is not just a schedule. It shows whether the business is still recording assets it no longer owns.
Uncertainty makes late information riskier
Better records will not control interest rates, customer demand, or supply chains. They will show earlier when costs are rising, margins are falling, or customers are taking longer to pay.
Recent Bank of England and ONS data both point to rising cost and supply chain pressure on UK businesses — exactly the kind of pressure that is harder to manage without up-to-date records.
That does not mean every business is directly affected by geopolitics. It does mean owners need numbers they can use while there is still time to act.
If supplier costs rise by 8%, customer payments slow by 20 days, or a major client delays a project, year-end accounts prepared months later will not help with the decision in front of the business today.
Governance does not need to be complicated
Good governance in a small business can be simple.
The business should know who checks the bank reconciliation, who reviews debtor balances, who approves dividends, who monitors the director’s loan account, and who is responsible for Companies House filings.
Companies House reform is not limited to accounts, either. Identity verification became a legal requirement from 18 November 2025, marking the start of a 12-month transition period for directors and people with significant control to verify their identity by their due dates. Building this into the same governance routine, rather than treating it as a separate task, is part of keeping things simple.
If filing responsibility, software access, and record review all sit with one person and are only checked at year-end, the risk is clear. Errors can be missed for months.
Solicitors should be ready for client questions
Solicitors advising business owners may be asked whether a profit and loss account will need to be filed, whether it will appear on the public register, whether new software is needed, or whether an accountant can still file on the company’s behalf.
They may also see the practical impact during sales, restructuring, or shareholder disputes. Poor records can make it harder to understand dividends, director loans, company value, or the reliability of the accounts.
The safest starting point is to check the company’s current record-keeping process. Changing the filing route will not fix incomplete records.
What can DSK do to help?
DSK can help solicitors and business owners use the Companies House changes as a reason to improve finance systems before the deadline creates pressure.
We can review your current records, check whether your finance system is ready for software filing, identify gaps in your accounts process, and help improve how information is captured during the year.
We can also support with management accounts, tax planning, Companies House compliance, director loan reviews, payroll links, VAT records, and year-end preparation.
DSK can help you move from year-end tidying to records that are kept properly throughout the year, so accounts, tax, and business decisions are based on numbers you can trust.
FAQs
When do the Companies House accounts filing changes come in?
The changes are expected to apply from 1 April 2028.
What is changing from 1 April 2028?
All UK-registered companies will need to file their accounts with Companies House using commercial software in iXBRL format. Companies House web and paper-based accounts filing services will close from that date.
Will companies still be able to use Companies House web services?
Yes, but not for filing accounts. Companies House has said web services will still be available for other statutory company information.
What is iXBRL?
iXBRL stands for Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language. In simple terms, it is a digital format that allows financial information in accounts to be read and processed by software.
Who will the change affect?
The change will affect UK-registered companies, including companies that file their own accounts and companies that use a professional adviser, such as an accountant.
Does this apply to LLPs?
Yes. Companies House has confirmed that these reforms will also apply to LLPs, so the same software-only, iXBRL filing requirements will extend to LLP accounts.
Why should businesses think about this now?
Because digital filing relies on accurate, complete, and well-organised records. Businesses that still depend on manual processes, basic bookkeeping, or last-minute account preparation may need time to improve their systems.
What should businesses review before 2028?
Businesses should review their accounting software, bookkeeping processes, record-keeping, internal controls, and year-end accounts preparation. The aim is to make sure the information needed for accounts filing is accurate and easy to access.
What does this mean for incorporated law firms?
Incorporated law firms may need to review how these changes apply to their own company accounts, and whether their internal finance systems are ready for digital filing.
Why might solicitors need to be aware of this?
Solicitors advising company clients may see more questions about filing obligations, record-keeping, and accounts privacy as the changes take effect.
How can DSK Partners help?
DSK Partners can help businesses review their finance systems, accounting records and filing processes ahead of the 2028 changes. We can also advise on software readiness, account preparation, and wider financial governance.