Quick answers
- When does Companies House software-only accounts filing start?
From 1 April 2028. Companies House announced on 9 June 2026 that the accounts reforms will start in April 2028 rather than April 2027. - Can I still use WebFiling for accounts after April 2028?
No. Companies House's web and paper-based services close for accounts filings from 1 April 2028. - Are abridged accounts being abolished?
Yes. Companies House's announced reforms remove the option to file abridged accounts from 1 April 2028. - Do dormant companies have to use software from April 2028?
Yes. Software-only filing applies to all companies. The WebFiling dormant accounts option and the paper AA02 route will not be available for accounts filings from 1 April 2028.
In more detail
Companies House announced this start date on 9 June 2026, moving it from April 2027. Abridged accounts are also due to end.
On 23 October 2026, Companies House said the government had paused the separate requirement for small companies and micro-entities to file profit and loss accounts.
Below: what changes, what stays the same, and what it means for dormant and micro companies that file their own accounts today.
What Companies House announced on 9 June 2026
Companies House said the package of accounts reforms will now come into effect from April 2028, rather than April 2027. It said this gives companies one full accounting year, plus 9 months (21 months), to get ready.
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Software-only filing | All companies file accounts in iXBRL format using commercial software |
| Web and paper closed for accounts | WebFiling and posting paper accounts stop for accounts filings |
| Abridged accounts removed | The option to file abridged accounts is due to end |
| Profit and loss filing proposal | Paused for small companies and micro-entities on 23 October 2026 |
| Audit exemption statement | Directors state which exemption they claim and confirm the company qualifies |
| Accounts filed together | The component parts of the accounts are submitted together |
| Shortening the accounting period | A business reason is needed to shorten it more than once in 5 years |
The reforms come from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. GOV.UK guidance puts the start date at 1 April 2028. For where this sits alongside identity verification and the other reforms, see our timeline of Companies House changes.
Source: Companies House to bring in changes to accounts filing from April 2028
Software-only filing: what it means in practice
From 1 April 2028, all companies must file their accounts using commercial software. That applies whether you file your own accounts or an accountant files them for you.
Software sends the accounts in inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL). GOV.UK describes this as HTML with machine-readable tags, so the accounts can be read by people and by computers.
GOV.UK says there will be no transition period. Any accounts due after this date must be filed using software. If you use WebFiling today, you will need software for accounts. If you file on paper, you will no longer be able to post accounts.
GOV.UK keeps a list of software that can file accounts with Companies House. It says Companies House does not endorse or recommend particular products. GOV.UK does not publish prices, so compare what each product costs and which types of accounts it can file.
What stays the same
Only accounts move to software. Companies House says its web filing services will remain available and fully supported for non-accounts filings, including confirmation statements and updates to director details.
Every limited company must still deliver accounts to Companies House each year, whether it trades or not. The filing deadlines themselves are not part of this announcement.
Source: Companies House to bring in changes to accounts filing from April 2028
The end of abridged accounts
Today a small company can file abridged accounts, and it does not have to deliver its profit and loss account or directors' report to Companies House.
From 1 April 2028, the announced reforms remove the option to file abridged accounts. Companies House's 23 October 2026 update paused the separate requirement for small companies to deliver a profit and loss account, so do not treat ending abridged accounts as a new requirement to file that account.
Source: Preparing and filing Companies House accounts (Life of a company part 1)
What it means for micro-entities
Today a micro-entity can file a balance sheet with less information and leave its profit and loss account out of what it sends to Companies House.
On 23 October 2026, Companies House said the government had paused the planned April 2028 requirement for micro-entities to deliver their profit and loss account. The current omission rule remains in the guidance, while software-only filing still starts on 1 April 2028.
A micro-entity that files its own accounts on WebFiling or paper today will also need software for accounts due after the change. Our guide on how to file micro-entity accounts covers the current rules and filing routes.
Source: Preparing and filing Companies House accounts (Life of a company part 1)
What it means for dormant companies
Dormant companies are not exempt. Software-only filing applies to all companies, and the web and paper routes close for every kind of accounts. Today WebFiling has a dormant company accounts option, and a company that has not traded since incorporation can use the paper form AA02 (see how to file dormant company accounts for the current routes). Neither route will be available for accounts from 1 April 2028.
A dormant company that claims audit exemption will also need the enhanced statement from the directors on the balance sheet. It must state the exemption being claimed and confirm that the company qualifies.
Dormant accounts do not need a profit and loss account or directors' report. The planned profit and loss filing requirement for small companies and micro-entities was paused on 23 October 2026, while the software-only filing change remains.
Source: Preparing and filing Companies House accounts (Life of a company part 1)
How to get ready
Work out when your first accounts will be due after 1 April 2028. Those are the first accounts that must go through software.
If you file accounts yourself on WebFiling or paper, look at the GOV.UK software list early. Check that a product can file your type of accounts: dormant, micro-entity or small full accounts.
If you are a small company or micro-entity, keep checking the official guidance. The planned April 2028 requirement to file a profit and loss account has been paused, but the software-only deadline remains.
If you plan to shorten your accounting reference period more than once in 5 years, be ready to give a business reason. The rules for changing a company year end explain the current limits.
Source: Software for filing company accounts with Companies House
Common misunderstandings about the 2028 accounts changes
The change starts in April 2027. It does not. Companies House moved it to April 2028.
Dormant companies can keep using the simple online form. They cannot for accounts due after the change. Every company must file accounts through software.
Small companies and micro-entities must file a profit and loss account from April 2028. That planned requirement was paused on 23 October 2026; the current omission rules remain in the guidance.
All Companies House web filing is closing. Only accounts filings move to software. Confirmation statements and director changes can still be filed on the web.
Get help with your company accounts
SimpleFilings checks, prepares and files qualifying dormant accounts for our £4.99 service fee. We do not offer trading or micro-entity accounts filing. Use the official Companies House route or speak to an accountant for those accounts. The accounts only count as filed once Companies House accepts them. For accounts due after 1 April 2028, check the current GOV.UK guidance on software filing before you rely on any route, including ours.
Frequently asked questions
When does Companies House software-only accounts filing start?
From 1 April 2028. Companies House announced on 9 June 2026 that the accounts reforms will start in April 2028 rather than April 2027. GOV.UK says there is no transition period: any accounts due after that date must be filed using software.
Can I still use WebFiling for accounts after April 2028?
No. Companies House's web and paper-based services close for accounts filings from 1 April 2028. Web filing stays available for other filings, such as confirmation statements and updates to director details.
Are abridged accounts being abolished?
Yes. Companies House's announced reforms remove the option to file abridged accounts from 1 April 2028. The government has separately paused the planned requirement for small companies to file a profit and loss account.
Do dormant companies have to use software from April 2028?
Yes. Software-only filing applies to all companies. The WebFiling dormant accounts option and the paper AA02 route will not be available for accounts filings from 1 April 2028.
Will micro-entities have to file a profit and loss account from April 2028?
Not under the guidance published on 23 October 2026. Companies House said the government had paused that planned requirement for small companies and micro-entities. Software-only accounts filing from 1 April 2028 is still going ahead.
Official sources
5
- Companies House to bring in changes to accounts filing from April 2028
- Using software to file your company's information
- Preparing and filing Companies House accounts (Life of a company part 1)
- Software for filing company accounts with Companies House
- File your company's annual accounts with Companies House
Written and checked by SimpleFilings against these official pages. Last checked . SimpleFilings is operated by ONAF Limited (company number 12589383), an independent firm, not part of Companies House, HMRC or the government.