Economy · Business & trade · 27 October 2026
Government pauses profit and loss filing rules for small firms
The government has paused the requirement for small companies and micro-entities to file profit and loss accounts. Companies House confirmed that mandatory software filing will proceed from April 2028. During the pause, officials will seek ways to simplify filing processes.
Companies House has announced that the government is pausing the requirement for small companies and micro-entities to file profit and loss accounts. The decision follows the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. While the specific filing requirement is on hold, the broader move towards digital reporting continues.
From April 2028, all UK registered companies must file their accounts using commercial software in iXBRL format. Smaller companies will be allowed to remove profit and loss information from their accounts filed at Companies House after 1 April 2028. Web and paper-based filing systems for accounts will close from April 2028, though web filing for other documents like confirmation statements will remain available.
The software filing requirement applies to companies filing their own accounts and those using third-party agents or accountants. During the pause, the government will look for ways to simplify filing processes with Companies House and HMRC. The announcement does not specify the timeline for these simplification measures or the exact criteria for removing profit and loss data beyond the stated dates.
Written by StreetOwl from Companies House’s own announcement. It was drafted by StreetOwl’s own model, every figure and quotation was checked by code against the announcement, and it was read and approved by Michael Rossi before it went up. It says what was announced, not what anyone should do about it.
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