UK Confirmation Statement Guide 2026: What It Is, Deadlines & How to File

The confirmation statement is one of the annual filing obligations every UK limited company must meet — regardless of size, activity, or where the directors live. It is filed at Companies House, costs £50 per year online, and must be submitted within 14 days of the end of the company's review period. Failing to file can result in the company being struck off the register.

What Is a Confirmation Statement?

A confirmation statement (form CS01) is a document that every UK limited company must file at Companies House at least once every 12 months. It confirms — or updates — the key information Companies House holds about the company.

It replaced the old Annual Return in June 2016. The key difference: a confirmation statement only requires you to confirm existing information is accurate, or update items that have changed. You do not re-submit everything from scratch each year.

The confirmation statement is separate from your annual accounts — both are required, but they go to different places (accounts also go to HMRC; the confirmation statement goes to Companies House only).

What Information Does It Cover?

The confirmation statement covers the following company information held at Companies House:

• Registered office address
• Registered email address (required since March 2024 under ECCT Act)
• Principal business activities (SIC codes)
• Registered directors: name, service address, residential address (private), nationality, date of birth, occupation
• Company secretary (if applicable)
• Share capital and share structure: total shares, classes of shares, rights attached to each class
• Register of members (shareholders): names and shareholdings
• People with Significant Control (PSC) register: individuals or entities controlling more than 25% of shares, voting rights, or appointing directors
• Statement of capital (if share structure has changed during the review period)

Deadlines Explained

The confirmation statement deadline works as follows:

1. Every company has a review period — 12 months running from the date of incorporation or from the date of the last confirmation statement filed.
2. The filing deadline is 14 days after the end of the review period.
3. Filing a confirmation statement starts a new 12-month review period from that filing date.

Example: Your company was incorporated on 15 March 2025. Your first confirmation statement review period ends 14 March 2026. You have until 28 March 2026 to file. If you file on 20 March 2026, your next review period runs to 19 March 2027 (with a filing deadline of 2 April 2027).

Companies House will send an email reminder to your registered email address approximately 4 weeks before the due date.

How to File Online

The fastest and cheapest method is through Companies House WebFiling or the newer Companies House online services. You will need:

• Your company number
• Your Companies House authentication code (a 6-character code sent to your registered office — request it if you do not have it)

The online process takes approximately 10–15 minutes. If no information has changed, you simply confirm and pay the £50 fee. If information has changed (new director, new shareholder, address change), update each section before confirming.

Alternatively, your registered address service provider or company formation agent may offer to file on your behalf as part of a compliance package.

PSC Register: The Most Overlooked Section

The People with Significant Control (PSC) register is the part most non-resident directors overlook. A PSC is any individual or entity that:

• Directly or indirectly holds more than 25% of shares or voting rights
• Has the right to appoint or remove the majority of the board of directors
• Has significant influence or control over the company

In most small UK companies with one founder, the founder is the sole PSC. You must ensure the PSC register is accurate and up to date at all times — not just when filing the confirmation statement. Changes must be notified to Companies House within 14 days of the change occurring (not just at the annual confirmation).

PSC information is publicly available on the Companies House register. If you have privacy concerns, you can apply to suppress your residential address and date of birth from the public record.

When to File Outside the Annual Cycle

You do not need to wait for the annual deadline to update company information. You should notify Companies House promptly (within 14 days in most cases) whenever:

• A director is appointed or resigns
• A director's personal details change (name, service address)
• The registered office address changes
• New shares are issued or transferred
• A PSC is added, removed, or their details change
• The company changes its name

These changes are filed using separate forms (AP01, TM01, AD01, SH01, etc.) in addition to the annual confirmation statement.

What Happens if You Miss the Deadline?

Missing the confirmation statement deadline is treated seriously by Companies House:

1. Companies House sends a warning letter to the registered office
2. If still not filed, a strike-off notice is published in the Gazette — the company is warned it will be removed from the register
3. If no action is taken within the Gazette notice period, the company is struck off and dissolved
4. Directors can be prosecuted for the criminal offence of failure to file — potential fine of up to £5,000

If your company is struck off for missing a confirmation statement, it can be restored — but this costs significantly more than simply filing on time (restoration fees start at £468 for administrative restoration).

Further reading: UK Annual Compliance Guide: Every Filing Deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions