Companies House accounts filing is changing

Companies House accounts filing is changing — and better data matters

From April 2028, Companies House accounts filing will become more digital, more structured and, in some areas, more detailed.

The main change is that all companies will need to file accounts using commercial software, with accounts submitted digitally in iXBRL format.

Small companies and micro-entities will also have to file profit and loss information, although they will be able to opt out of having that P&L information published publicly.

Abridged accounts are also being abolished.

The purpose is to improve the quality and usefulness of Companies House data, increase transparency and support the fight against economic crime.

For regulated sectors, this matters. Better structured company data should make it easier to monitor firms consistently and identify potential warning signs earlier.

At Watchdog Services, we maintain a database of around 57,000 FCA-regulated firms, alongside key Companies House statistics, and we keep an eye on changes that may point to emerging risk.

More reliable, structured Companies House data should make this type of monitoring increasingly valuable over time.

Watchdog Services: https://www.watchdogservices.co.uk/