This Valentine’s Day… don’t forget these important company dates

Valentine’s Day is nearly here and to celebrate we thought we’d shoehorn a ‘love theme’ into a business blog. take a look at some big dates that you really shouldn’t forget when it comes to your limited company. So pop open the champagne, get some chocolates out and crank up the Barry White….  we’re going to explain what these important company dates are and highlight what happens if they pass you by (clue: the answer is not “you get dumped”).

If your company was formed with us all of the following dates can be found on your company admin portal. Alternatively (and if your company was not formed with us), you’ll find them on the Companies House WebCheck website.

Incorporation Date – The date that your company was formed. Your company’s date of incorporation can not be changed.

What if I forget it? – Not much at all, other than a missed opportunity to celebrate your business’s birthday.

Accounting Reference Date – The date that your company’s annual accounts must cover up to. The next set of accounts should then cover where the previous accounts left off up to the accounting reference date again. You can change your company’s accounting reference date online or via the paper method directly with Companies House.

What if I forget it? – You can file annual accounts as soon as your accounting reference date has passed. Therefore if you forget the date you’re giving yourself less time to file annual accounts.

Confirmation Statement Due Date – The confirmation statement is a report that covers basic non-financial company information such as registered office, shares and appointments. All limited companies must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, regardless of whether the company is trading or not. It can be filed at any time, with the due date being the latest point it can be filed. Once filed the due date for the next confirmation statement will change accordingly.

What if I forget it? – Failure to file a confirmation statement is a criminal offence. Your company may be closed down and as a director, you could be fined. Whilst it’s unlikely that anything will happen if you file the confirmation statement slightly late, it’s always better to file on time or before as this reflects well on your company from an outsider’s perspective.

Annual Account Due Date – Annual accounts are a filing obligation that cover company financial information. All limited companies must file a version of accounts – even if they’re not trading (dormant companies can file ‘dormant company accounts’). The first set of annual accounts can be filed as soon as the accounting reference date has passed (so approximately one year after company formation) although they’re not actually due until 21 months after company formation.

What if I forget it? – Don’t! Whilst the exact timeframe does differ Companies House will eventually start closure procedures against your company if you do not file accounts. If you do file accounts, but late, you will need to pay a penalty that goes up to £1,500 depending on how late you are – making this probably the most important of the important company dates!

We hope that you find this post helpful. See the below links for information on some services that we offer related to this post. And Happy Valentine’s Day!

We can provide a duplicate copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’ve misplaced yours

Need help filing your confirmation statement? We offer a number of simple solutions

Is your company dormant? Let us file dormant company accounts for you