Filing a change of accounting reference date

Changing an accounting reference date changes the company's financial year end for Companies House purposes. It can help align reporting with a business cycle or group timetable, but it also affects preparation work and filing deadlines. Review the consequences before submitting the change. ^[1]

Confirm which period can be changed

Check the current accounting reference date, the period concerned and whether accounts are already overdue. The official guidance limits which periods can be changed and how they may be shortened or extended. A change should not be treated as an automatic way to escape a missed deadline. ^[1]

Obtain the current register entry and recent accounts so the adviser is working from the same dates as the company. Where an earlier change has already been made, include that history in the review.

Compare shortening and extending

Shortening a period can bring preparation and filing work forward. Extending one can require a longer set of accounts and is subject to restrictions and exceptions. Check the current rules against the specific proposal rather than relying on a general statement that a year end can always be moved. ^[1]

Ask for the resulting deadlines in writing before authorising the filing. This is particularly useful when a deadline depends on both the new period end and the date Companies House receives the notice.

Separate the tax accounting periods

A Corporation Tax accounting period cannot normally exceed twelve months. A longer first set of statutory accounts can therefore require more than one Company Tax Return. Moving the Companies House year end does not remove the need to assess HMRC periods and payment dates separately. ^[2]

Consider the effect on management accounts, forecasts and comparatives as well. Reports covering different lengths of time should not be compared as though they represent identical trading periods.

Prepare the change checklist

• Identify the commercial reason for the new year end.
• Confirm the period's eligibility for change.
• Calculate revised Companies House deadlines.
• Review Corporation Tax periods and payment dates.
• Agree the accountant's work and information timetable.
• Submit the change and verify the accepted record.

Inform people relying on the old calendar

Update directors, finance staff, lenders and group reporting teams where relevant. A bank covenant or investor information requirement may use its own reporting dates, which will not necessarily move with the statutory year end.

Compare two calendars before making the decision

Prepare a before-and-after schedule showing the statutory accounts period, Companies House deadline, tax periods and planned accountant handover dates. Include any lender or investor reporting commitments separately. The new year end may simplify future reporting while increasing work during the transition, so assess the first affected period as well as later years.

Do not rely on a forecast spreadsheet that changes only the month in its heading. Accruals, stock counts, payroll cut-offs and comparative periods may need adjustment. Ask the accountant which information must be captured at the new date and whether the business can supply it reliably. A convenient group reporting date is less useful if the subsidiary cannot produce a complete closing record.

Consider the shortened-period workload

A shorter accounting period can bring preparation forward. The team may need to close records while it is still resolving the previous year. Agree who will reconcile bank accounts, value stock and review outstanding invoices. If the company is seasonal, explain how the shorter period affects the interpretation of revenue and profit rather than comparing unequal periods without qualification.

Suppose a retailer moves its year end to follow the busiest trading season. The commercial rationale may be sensible, but the stock count and supplier credit notes must match the selected date. The filing decision should therefore be linked to an operational closing plan, not treated as a form completed independently of the finance team.

Examine an extension with tax support

An extended accounts period can cross tax rate or rule changes and may need separate Corporation Tax periods. Ask for the resulting payment dates and return requirements, using the company's actual trading history. A longer Companies House period does not automatically defer every tax payment until the end of the new statutory cycle.

Check the history of previous extensions and any applicable exception before authorising the proposal. Explain the reason for the change in the working file and retain the evidence used to establish eligibility. If the period is already overdue, seek advice on the existing default rather than assuming an amendment will remove it.

Complete the change across reporting systems

After acceptance, update finance software settings carefully and preserve reports for the original periods. Tell the people preparing accounts and tax returns which dates are now authoritative. Replace obsolete reminders only after the revised obligations have been entered and checked, leaving unrelated VAT and payroll deadlines intact.

For the wider distinction between annual obligations, read Confirmation statements and annual accounts compared. Discuss Companies House filing review where the company needs assistance reviewing the proposed filing; accounts preparation and tax-period advice should be agreed separately.

For example, aligning a new subsidiary with its parent may simplify future group reporting while creating an unusual first period. A short transition note explaining that period, its tax treatment and the new recurring deadlines helps prevent the simplification from producing a missed filing elsewhere.