Changes to Company Accounts in April 2028: What Every Director Needs to Know

From April 2028, Companies House is changing the way every company files its annual accounts. All companies will have to file using commercial software, and the smallest companies will have to report more than they do now.

These changes are part of a wider reform of Companies House under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. For most directors, they’re the part that affects the yearly job of preparing and filing accounts.

This is a huge change that companies have not welcomed at all. It means more transparency, so therefore less privacy, and more admin. Plus changes to year-long habits that were once set in stone.

The timing has also been confusing because the plans were announced, then paused, then confirmed with some changes. While this looks quite ‘locked in’, it’s fair to say it could change again.

So here’s where things stand, what’s changing, and what you can do to prepare before the deadline.

How We Got Here

The changes were first set for April 2027. When Companies House published the details in mid-2025, businesses, accountants, and MPs raised concerns about the cost and admin for small companies, and about private financial information being made public. After that response, the government paused the April 2027 timetable and reviewed the package.

In June 2026, it confirmed how the reforms will proceed. They’re still going ahead, but the start date’s moved to April 2028, and the government has added one important concession on privacy, which we cover below. The later date gives every company a full accounting year, plus a further nine months, to prepare.

You can read the Companies House announcement on GOV.UK in full.

Reforms To Company Accounts

There are a few changes planned for 2028. Here’s the full package in short before we go through each one.

Filing Transitions to Software Only

The change that affects the most companies is how you file.

From April 2028, the only way to file accounts with Companies House will be through commercial accounting software, which prepares your accounts in a digital format called iXBRL. Companies House is closing both the free web filing service and the paper route at the same time, so neither will be available for accounts.

HMRC has asked for accounts in this format for years, as part of your Corporation Tax return, so the change brings Companies House into line.

If your accountant already prepares and files your accounts through software, which most do, little will change for you. As always, the company remains legally responsible for ensuring they are prepared and filed on time.

Small Companies Must File a Profit and Loss Account

At the moment, the smallest companies can keep their profit figures out of public view. A micro-entity files only a balance sheet, so its profit and loss statement is never published. A small company can file what’s known as a “filleted” set, which omits the profit and loss account and directors’ report from the version sent to Companies House.

From April 2028, that option ends. Small companies and micro-entities will have to file a profit and loss account with Companies House, as larger companies already do.

This was the most contested part of the original plans, and it’s where the government has compromised. You’ll have to file the profit and loss statement, but you can choose not to publish it.

The details of how the opt-out will work haven’t been confirmed yet. The key point is that opting out keeps the figures off the public register; it doesn’t remove the duty to file them. That opt-out is for small companies and micro-entities, as larger companies already file fuller accounts.

The End of Abridged Accounts

At the moment, some small companies can prepare abridged accounts if all shareholders agree. Abridged accounts still include a balance sheet and profit and loss account, but certain lines can be combined so the accounts reveal less detail. For example, the balance sheet can show a single total for debtors or creditors rather than breaking those figures down further.

From April 2028, you’ll no longer have this option. Small companies will no longer be able to use shareholder agreement to file a reduced set.

They’ll instead have to prepare and file accounts under the normal small companies regime, with the required balance sheet, profit and loss account and notes included.

A Stronger Audit Exemption Statement

If your company is small enough to be exempt from an audit, you already include a short statement on your balance sheet to confirm it. From April 2028, that statement has to do more. Instead of claiming exemption in general terms, you’ll have to name the specific exemption you’re relying on and confirm that your company meets the conditions for it.

The reason’s straightforward. Companies House wants to make it harder to claim an exemption that a company isn’t entitled to, and easier to identify those that do. Naming the exemption and confirming you qualify places the responsibility clearly on the director who signs it.

New Limits on Shortening Your Year-End

At present, you can shorten your company’s accounting period as often as you like, by as many months as you like. Some companies do this because shortening the period also resets the filing deadline, giving them a few more months when accounts are running late.

From April 2028, this is restricted. You’ll still be able to shorten your accounting period, but to do it more than once in any five-year period, you’ll need a genuine business reason. The change targets companies that repeatedly shorten their period to delay filing.

Two Additional Changes

Two smaller changes complete the package:

1. The first is the directors’ report. Under the original plan, small companies would have had to file their directors’ report as part of the accounts. The government now intends to remove the directors’ report requirement altogether, so small companies are not expected to file one when the new accounts rules begin.
2. The second is bundled filing. From April 2028, companies will have to deliver the full accounts package to Companies House in one go. That means the balance sheet, profit and loss account, notes and any other required statements must be filed together, rather than sending separate parts at different times.

Who Is Affected, and When

The effect of the April 2028 changes depends on how your company files now, and which accounts regime it uses. Consider the following categories:

• Every UK company is affected by the software rule: Any accounts filed on or after 1 April 2028 must be filed through commercial software in iXBRL format. That applies whether the company is large, small, micro, active or dormant.
• Small companies and micro-entities face the biggest disclosure changes: They will have to file a profit and loss account with Companies House, even if they choose to keep it off the public register.
• Abridged accounts are ending: Small companies will no longer be able to use them to reduce the level of detail shown in the accounts.
• Filleted accounts will work differently: Small companies and micro-entities will have to file a profit and loss account with Companies House. They may still be able to keep it off the public register, but it will no longer be omitted from the filing altogether.
• Audit exemption wording will need more care: Companies claiming an audit exemption must state which exemption they are relying on and confirm they meet the conditions.
• Companies using the free Companies House accounts service need a new route: That service is closing for accounts, so directors who currently file accounts themselves will need commercial software or an accountant before their first filing after 1 April 2028.

Companies House has said it will contact companies about the changes, so make sure the registered email address is up to date and monitored.

What to Do Before April 2028

There’s no need to act drastically now, but some preparation over the next year or two will save a rush later. A few steps are worth taking:

• Check how you currently file: If you use the free Companies House service, start looking at accounting software or an accountant well before April 2028, rather than when your filing’s due.
• Keep your registered email up to date: Companies House will use it to reach you, so make sure it points somewhere you’ll see.
• Decide how you’ll handle a public profit and loss: If you’re a small company or micro-entity, consider now whether you’ll publish your figures or opt out.
• Get advice if you rely on abridged accounts: With that option ending, it helps to know what your accounts will look like under the new rules.

If you’re not yet using accounting software, our guide to choosing software is a good place to start, and our explainer on the ECCTA reforms sets the April 2028 changes in the context of the wider programme. For the official details, the GOV.UK guidance on filing accounts and the approved software list are both worth reading.

How Double Point Can Help

April 2028 changes both how accounts are filed and what has to be included. Companies will need the right software, a complete iXBRL filing, a profit and loss account delivered to Companies House, and the correct exemption statements where they apply.

This guide provides general information rather than personal advice, and the extent to which the changes affect you will depend on your company’s size, how you currently file, and whether you claim any exemptions.

At Double Point, our chartered accountants prepare and file accounts for companies across the UK. We’ll make sure your accounts comply with the new rules, move you to compliant software if needed, and keep everything accurate and filed on time. Our company accounts service covers it.

Book a consultation, and we’ll make sure you’re ready well ahead of April 2028.