The Government has announced that planned changes to Companies House filing requirements will begin in April 2028, rather than April 2027, giving businesses an additional year to prepare for significant changes affecting small companies and micro-entities.
For small company directors and accountants managing tight deadlines, news arrived last week that should ease some immediate pressure: the Government has announced that planned changes to Companies House filing requirements will begin in April 2028, rather than April 2027, giving businesses an additional year to prepare for some significant changes, particularly those affecting small companies and micro-entities.
What's Changing, and When?
From April 2028, small companies and micro-entities will need to file a profit and loss account with Companies House, whereas currently, many smaller businesses can file limited information that does not show their full trading performance, and with the new rules, they will need to submit more financial details.
In practical terms, this represents a meaningful shift. At present, many small companies exploit the exemption under the Companies Act 2006 to file only an abbreviated balance sheet, holding back the profit and loss statement. From April 2028, that option will largely vanish.
Alongside increased financial disclosure, companies will be required to use commercial software to file their annual accounts, and the current online and paper filing options for annual accounts are being phased out. This requirement replaces the familiar Companies House WebFiling portal and postal options, meaning firms must migrate to a third-party software platform capable of generating accounts in the required format.
How Much Notice Has Been Given?
The extended timeline offers real breathing room. The government has committed to giving businesses at least 21 months' notice before any new accounts filing requirements are introduced. Since the reforms now take effect in April 2028, the formal transition window provides accountants and their clients with genuine capacity to plan, upgrade systems, and upskill staff.
What Practitioners Should Do Now
Whilst urgency has eased, now is the moment to begin soft preparation. First, establish which of your clients fall within the definition of small company or micro-entity under the Companies Act 2006—their thresholds remain unchanged—and begin preliminary conversations about enhanced disclosure obligations. Second, if you file accounts on behalf of clients, audit your own software capability. Does your current platform support the output format that Companies House will demand from April 2028?
What About FRS 102 Disclosure Changes?
One point of clarity is worth noting: the delay to the Companies House reforms does not change the updated disclosure requirements coming in from 1 January 2026 under the revised FRS 102 framework. Small (but not micro) companies reporting under FRS 102A will still be required to disclose more detailed information — including dividends and related-party transactions — even though Companies House filing requirements remain unchanged. In short, small companies already faced enhanced disclosure obligations under the revised FRS 102 standard; the April 2028 change extends that principle to what they must lodge at Companies House.
Bottom Line
The delay removes an immediate cliff-edge in 2027 and reflects sensible phase-in of significant regulatory change. Practitioners should use the 20-month window to assess software options, establish compliance workflows for larger balance sheets and P&Ls, and communicate plans to affected clients. The regime's ultimate shape is now clear; implementation is simply further away.