Every UK limited company must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months and pay £50 online or £110 by paper form. The first review period begins on the date of incorporation. The statement must be filed within 14 days of the review period end, and late filing is a criminal offence that can lead to strike-off.
The current confirmation statement fee is £50 for online filing or £110 for a paper CS01 form, with these rates applying since 1 May 2024 following a Companies House fee increase.
A confirmation statement is due at least once every 12 months. The first review period begins on the date of incorporation; each new period starts the day after the last one ended.
The statement must be filed within 14 days of the end of the review period. One fee covers the entire 12-month period, so multiple statements can be filed within that window at no extra cost.
Late or missed confirmation statements are a criminal offence. If the statement is more than 28 days overdue, Companies House can begin proceedings to strike the company off the register.
The statement must confirm or update the registered office, directors and secretary, SIC codes, statement of capital, shareholders, and the people with significant control register.
You need to pay confirmation statement annual fees as below:
Online filing - £34
Paper form filing via post - £62
Your confirmation statement payment is due based on your payment period:
12 months starting with the date of incorporation
For older companies, each payment period covers 12 months and ends on the anniversary of the return date of your last annual return (AR01)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a confirmation statement cost?
Filing a confirmation statement costs £50 if you submit it online through Companies House WebFiling or approved software. If you submit a paper CS01 form by post, the fee is £110. These fees have applied since 1 May 2024, when Companies House raised its charges to fund new enforcement and integrity powers. One fee covers the full 12-month review period, so you can file additional statements within that period at no extra charge.
When is the confirmation statement due?
A confirmation statement must be filed within 14 days of the end of the 12-month review period. For a newly incorporated company, the first review period starts on the date of incorporation. For existing companies, the review period starts the day after the last statement was filed. Companies House sends reminder emails if you have registered an email address, but you remain responsible for meeting the deadline regardless.
What is the review period for a confirmation statement?
The review period is the 12-month window during which the confirmation statement must be filed. For a newly incorporated company, it begins on the date of incorporation. Each new review period starts on the day after the previous period ended, not after the previous statement was actually filed. This means the due date rolls forward continuously, regardless of when you last submitted.
Can I file more than one confirmation statement per year?
Yes. You can file a confirmation statement at any time during the 12-month review period, and one fee covers all filings made within that period. Many companies file a second statement mid-period when changes occur, such as a new shareholder or a change to the registered office, because it is simpler than filing separate update forms. Doing so does not reset the review period or incur an additional fee.
What happens if I miss the confirmation statement deadline?
There is no automatic financial penalty for missing the confirmation statement deadline, unlike company accounts. However, failing to file is a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006 and can result in prosecution of the directors. If the statement remains outstanding for more than 28 days, Companies House can begin the process of striking the company off the register, which would dissolve the company and pass its assets to the Crown.
What replaced the annual return and when did the change happen?
The confirmation statement replaced the annual return in June 2016 under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015. The key difference is that an annual return required companies to report all company information each year, whereas a confirmation statement only requires you to confirm that the existing information held by Companies House is correct, or update it where something has changed.
What information must be confirmed in a confirmation statement?
The statement must confirm or update the company's registered office and SAIL address, the names of all directors and any company secretary, the nature of business using SIC codes, the statement of capital setting out the total share value, details of all shareholders, and the register of people with significant control. Changes to directors or the registered office must be filed separately and cannot be reported on the confirmation statement itself.
Do I pay the confirmation statement fee every time I file?
No. You pay one fee per 12-month review period, not per filing. If you file two or three statements within the same review period because company details have changed, only the first filing triggers a fee. This makes it practical to keep Companies House records accurate throughout the year without paying additional charges each time an update is needed.
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