Companies House and HMRC will close their joint online filing service on 31 March 2026. This free service has allowed companies to file their annual accounts and Company Tax Returns at the same time with both organisations.
Closing this service is part of the broader changes taking place at Companies House, including the implementation of new processes like identity verification. These reforms aim to strengthen the role of Companies House in preventing economic crime and bring the UK in line with international best practices.
What happens after 31 March 2026?
From 1 April 2026, you will no longer be able to access the joint filing services.
Going forward:
- You can file your annual accounts with Companies House using third-party software, Gov.uk web services, or paper filing
- You must use commercial software to file your Company Tax Return with HMRC
What you may need to do now:
- Save your previous filings from the past three years – you will not be able to access any previous filings on this service after 1 April 2026
- Consider your software options – if you currently rely on the free joint filing service, you’ll need to plan for a transition to suitable commercial software.
- Prepare for future changes – in the future, filing via software will be the only option, as Companies House moves toward a fully digital filing service.
How M+A Partners can help
For any queries on filing information with Companies House or HMRC, please get in touch with your usual M+A Partners’ contact or email enquiries@mapartners.co.uk.