What a confirmation statement covers

A confirmation statement tells Companies House that the required information about a company has been checked and is up to date. It is required at least annually, including for dormant companies and companies whose details have not changed. It is not a set of accounts or a Corporation Tax return. ^[1]

Identify the information being confirmed

Review the company name and number, registered details, officers, ownership information and other entries covered by the filing. The statement also includes confirmation that the company's intended future activities are lawful. Treat this as a review of evidence rather than a routine click through an online form.

Different records can reveal different dates. A signed share transfer, for example, may need to be considered alongside the register of members and earlier filings. Resolve discrepancies before confirming information that you know is inaccurate.

Separate updates from the statement itself

Changes to directors, the secretary, PSC information, the registered office and the registered email normally need to be reported through their relevant processes before the confirmation statement. The additional information section can deal with specified matters such as shareholder information, SIC codes and the statement of capital. ^[1]

Do not use the annual statement as a reason to postpone an event-driven notification. A change can have its own filing deadline even when the next annual review is months away.

Prepare identity verification information

Directors must satisfy the applicable identity verification requirements, and the next confirmation statement requires the relevant personal codes and confirmation. PSC verification is a separate role-based requirement. Someone who is both a director and a PSC must consider both processes. ^[1]

Keep personal codes secure and provide them only to a person who genuinely needs them for the authorised filing. They are different from the company's authentication code.

Understand the review and payment periods

The review period generally runs for twelve months, with filing allowed up to fourteen days after it ends. Filing early starts a new review period. The annual fee payment period is separate, so an early filing does not simply reset every date connected with the company. Check the current record and fee before submission. ^[1]

Keep a clear completion record

• Record the information checked and any discrepancies resolved.
• Retain approvals and supporting ownership documents.
• Save the submitted statement and acknowledgement.
• Verify acceptance and the next review date.
• Update the internal calendar and responsible person's task list.

Test a transaction against the annual snapshot

Imagine a company with two equal shareholders. During the review period, one sells part of their holding and a new director joins. The annual review needs the completed transfer documents, the updated register of members and the director appointment evidence. An informal ownership diagram circulated during negotiations may show a proposal that never completed. Ask the person responsible for the transaction to identify the version that actually took effect.

Work backwards from the proposed confirmation date. Establish which events had happened by that date, which were still conditional and which had already been notified. This prevents a statement from mixing yesterday's shareholders with tomorrow's proposed board. Where an event has several consequences, create separate tasks instead of assuming that one additional information screen covers everything.

Give the reviewer an evidence schedule

A compact schedule can list each category, its source, the date checked and any action required. For shareholder information, point to the members' register. For a director's particulars, obtain confirmation through a secure channel. For business activities, ask the operational director whether the recorded classification still describes the business. The aim is a traceable answer to each question, not a large folder that nobody has assessed.

Use a clear unresolved category for missing evidence. If an adviser receives contradictory instructions from two owners, the issue needs resolution by someone with authority. A filing deadline makes the problem urgent but does not make either unsupported account reliable. Keep a written record of the question sent and the answer relied upon.

Distinguish a submission problem from a records problem

A payment failure, unavailable personal code and disputed shareholding require different responses. The first may be an administrative retry; the second requires the relevant individual's verification information; the third may require legal advice. Identifying the type of blockage early helps the company avoid spending its remaining time repeatedly attempting a filing that cannot yet be completed accurately.

After an accepted early statement, remove obsolete reminders only after entering the replacement review dates. Leave accounts and tax reminders in place. A business that files its statement early to support investment discussions can otherwise accidentally erase unrelated deadlines from a shared annual task.

For preparation rather than a general overview, use What to check before a confirmation statement. If you want assistance organising the annual filing, Confirmation statement support explains the service scope. Provide the company number and a description of changes first; personal verification codes should be shared only through the agreed secure filing process.

This record helps the next reviewer understand what was confirmed and avoids repeating unresolved assumptions in the following year.