25 March 2020

Companies House filing extension Application required

Government statement reproduced below. While appreciated, surely temporarily extending the deadline or not imposing penalties through that period would create much less work for all concerned than setting up a new portal and imposing a 15 minute application process which is automatically accepted!

Businesses will be able to apply for a 3-month extension for filing their accounts.

This joint initiative between the government and Companies House will mean businesses can prioritise managing the impact of Coronavirus.

There are approximately 4.3 million businesses on the Companies House register, and all companies must submit their accounts and reports each year. Under normal circumstances, companies that file accounts late are issued with an automatic penalty.

As part of the agreed measures, while companies will still have to apply for the 3-month extension to be granted, those citing issues around COVID-19 will be automatically and immediately granted an extension. Applications can be made through a fast-tracked online system which will take just 15 minutes to complete.