What is a confirmation statement? Deadlines, fees and identity checks

Every UK company must file a confirmation statement with Companies House at least once a year. That includes dormant and non-trading companies – and you must file even when none of your company details has changed.

It sounds straightforward, but the rules have become more complicated. Companies House has increased its filing fees, introduced compulsory identity verification and gained stronger powers to penalise companies that fail to comply.

Here is what company directors need to know.

What is a confirmation statement?

A confirmation statement is a declaration that the information Companies House holds about your company is accurate and up to date.

It replaced the annual return in 2016. You might still hear people use the old term, but the document you now file is the confirmation statement.

As part of the filing, you must also confirm that the company’s intended future activities are lawful.

A confirmation statement is not the same as your annual accounts. The two filings have different purposes and deadlines:

• Your annual accounts report the company’s financial performance and position.
• Your confirmation statement checks the company information held on the public register.

Filing one does not remove the need to file the other. We can also help companies prepare and submit their annual accounts.

Who needs to file a confirmation statement?

Every company registered at Companies House must file one. This includes:

• Private limited companies
• Public companies
• Dormant companies
• Companies that are not currently trading

It’s important to note that you must file even if the company has not traded and nothing has changed since the previous statement.

The legal responsibility ultimately rests with the company and its directors, even if an accountant or company secretary handles the filing.

When is your confirmation statement due?

Your company must complete a review period every 12 months.

For a newly incorporated company, the first review period ends 12 months after the incorporation date. For an established company, it ends 12 months after the confirmation date shown on its previous confirmation statement.

You then have 14 days to file.

For example, if your review period ends on 31st August, your confirmation statement must reach Companies House by 14th September.

You can check your company’s confirmation date and filing deadline on the Companies House register.

Can you file early?

Yes. You do not have to wait until the review period ends.

If you file early, you choose a new confirmation date. The next 12-month review period begins the following day, so filing early will change the timetable for your next statement.

This can sometimes be useful – for example, if you want to align the date with other company filings – but it should be done deliberately.

What information must you check?

Before filing a confirmation statement, review the information Companies House holds about the company.

This may include:

• The registered office address
• The registered email address
• Directors and company secretary
• People with significant control
• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes
• The statement of capital
• Shareholder information
• The trading status of shares

You must also make sure that the company’s statutory registers and internal records reflect any changes.

Some information can be updated as part of the confirmation statement. Other changes must be reported to Companies House separately, before you file.

In particular, this applies to changes involving:

• Directors and the company secretary
• People with significant control
• The registered office address
• The registered email address

Do not confirm that the information is correct if you know it is out of date.

Identity verification now affects confirmation statements

Since 18th November 2025, company directors have been required to verify their identities with Companies House.

Directors can normally do this free of charge through GOV.UK One Login. Alternatively, they can ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, such as an authorised accountant or solicitor, to verify them.

After completing the identity check, each director receives a unique Companies House personal code. This confirms that the person has been successfully verified.

The code belongs to the individual, not the company. A director therefore uses the same code for every company role they hold, although it must be connected to each role separately.

A new director has to provide their personal code when the company is incorporated, or when their appointment is registered. Existing directors must also use their codes to connect their verified identities to the directorships they already hold.

Before filing a confirmation statement, the company should check that Companies House has received the required identity-verification details for every current director. If any details are outstanding, the relevant personal codes must be included with the statement. Companies House will reject the filing if a director who needs to verify has not done so.

Once a director’s verification details have been provided for a particular role, they do not normally need to be submitted again on every subsequent confirmation statement.

Personal codes should be kept secure. They can be shared with a trusted person who files on the director’s or company’s behalf, such as an accountant.

What about people with significant control?

People with significant control, commonly known as PSCs, must also verify their identities and connect their personal codes to each PSC role.

Someone who is both a director and a PSC needs to verify only once, but must use their code separately for each role: as a director and as a PSC.

The deadline and process depend on when the person became a PSC and whether they are also a director. Companies House shows the relevant deadline for each role on its public register. You can also consult its current identity-verification guidance.

How much is the confirmation statement fee?

The confirmation statement fee increased on 1st February 2026.

A confirmation statement now costs:

• £50 to file online
• £110 to submit a paper CS01 form

The fee is annual, but the payment period is separate from the company’s review period.

You pay the fee with the first confirmation statement filed during each 12-month payment period. If you file another statement within that same payment period, you will not normally have to pay again.

A new fee becomes due when the next payment period begins.

For most companies, filing online will be quicker and cheaper. You will normally need the company’s authentication code. If any directors’ identity-verification details have not already been provided for their roles, you will also need their personal codes.

You can find the latest charges in the official Companies House confirmation statement guidance.

What happens if your confirmation statement is late?

Do not ignore a missed confirmation statement deadline.

Failing to file a confirmation statement is a criminal offence. The company and its officers may face prosecution, and directors can be personally fined up to £5,000. A conviction could also result in a criminal record.

Separately, Companies House can impose a civil financial penalty under newer enforcement powers. It can also begin proceedings to strike a company off the register. These enforcement routes can operate alongside one another.

Strike-off can have serious consequences. The company would cease to exist legally, and its assets could pass to the Crown. Directors may also face difficulties operating the business, dealing with its bank or entering into contracts.

You can read more about the possible consequences in the Companies House penalty guidance.

If the deadline has already passed, file the outstanding statement as soon as possible and make sure any incorrect company information is updated.

It is also worth investigating why the deadline was missed. Common causes include:

• Companies House reminders going to an old email address
• A registered office no longer being monitored
• Responsibility for filings being unclear
• An authentication code being unavailable
• One or more directors not completing identity verification
• Company records not being kept up to date during the year

A reliable company secretarial process should prevent these problems from building up.

Can an accountant file your confirmation statement?

Yes. An accountant or company secretarial adviser can prepare and file a confirmation statement on your company’s behalf.

You will still need to provide accurate information and ensure that each director has completed identity verification. Directors may also need to share their personal codes securely with the person handling the filing.

Using a professional company secretarial service can be particularly helpful when:

• The company has several directors or shareholders
• Shares have been issued or transferred
• Directors or people with significant control have changed
• Statutory registers have not been maintained properly
• The registered office needs to be managed
• You have several companies with different deadlines
• Nobody internally has clear responsibility for Companies House compliance

The real value is not simply pressing the button once a year. It is making sure the underlying records are accurate and that changes are reported when they happen.

How THP can help

THP’s Company Secretarial Services can help keep your company records accurate and your Companies House filings on schedule.

Depending on your requirements, our team can help with:

• Preparing and filing confirmation statements
• Maintaining statutory registers and company records
• Recording appointments, resignations and other changes involving directors
• Monitoring filing deadlines
• Preparing minutes and statutory documentation
• Acting as your registered office
• Safekeeping important company documents
• Assisting with company dissolutions and other company-law obligations

We can work with your existing company secretary or directly with the company’s directors. Please note that we cannot provide company secretarial services to a company where THP acts as its auditor.

If your confirmation statement is approaching, your records need updating or identity verification is holding up a filing, contact our friendly team today to discuss what needs to happen next.