Year-End Accounts for Limited Companies – What You Need to Know

As a director of a limited company, filing your year-end accounts is more than a legal requirement – it’s an opportunity to ensure your business is financially sound, tax-efficient, and fully compliant with Companies House and HMRC obligations.

At HPL Accountancy, we take care of the entire process for you. From finalising your books to filing statutory accounts and Corporation Tax returns, our expert team ensures every deadline is met and every report is accurate – giving you complete peace of mind.

What Are Year-End Accounts?

Year-end accounts – also referred to as statutory accounts – are a set of financial statements that all limited companies must prepare at the end of their financial year. These accounts offer a formal overview of your company’s performance and position, and are used by:

• Companies House – to maintain public records
• HMRC – to assess and collect Corporation Tax
• Directors and shareholders – to review financial health
• Banks and investors – when assessing lending or investment

At HPL Accountancy, we prepare year-end accounts in full compliance with current UK GAAP or IFRS (as required), tailored to your company’s size and structure.

Who Needs to Submit Year-End Accounts?

All UK-registered limited companies are legally required to submit year-end accounts, even if the company:

• Is dormant
• Is not actively trading
• Is operating at a loss or generating minimal income

Sole traders and partnerships follow different rules and do not submit statutory accounts to Companies House – but limited companies must, regardless of activity level.

What’s Included in Year-End Accounts?

We prepare a full statutory set of year-end accounts, which typically includes:

• Balance Sheet – showing assets, liabilities, and equity at year-end
• Profit and Loss Account – summarising income, costs, and profit/loss
• Notes to the Accounts – additional context and disclosures
• Director’s Report – where required by law
• Accountant’s or Auditor’s Report – depending on your company’s size

If your business qualifies as a micro-entity or small company, we can prepare simplified reports to minimise compliance requirements – while still meeting all legal standards.

Filing Deadlines You Need to Know

We track and manage all key deadlines for you to avoid late penalties:

• Companies House – accounts must be filed within 9 months of your company’s financial year-end
• HMRC (Corporation Tax Return) – must be submitted within 12 months of the year-end
• Corporation Tax Payment – due 9 months and 1 day after the financial year-end

Example: If your company’s year-end is 31 March 2025:

• File with Companies House by 31 December 2025
• Pay Corporation Tax by 1 January 2026

We’ll ensure everything is submitted ahead of time, and you’re kept informed every step of the way.

Avoiding Penalties and Late Fees

Missing your filing deadline can result in automatic penalties from Companies House:

These penalties double if you file late two years in a row. HMRC may also impose additional fines and interest for late Corporation Tax returns or payments.

With HPL Accountancy managing your deadlines and submissions, you’ll never risk late penalties again.

What We Do for You

Our year-end accounts service is tailored to your business. We provide:

✅ Full preparation and submission of statutory accounts
✅ Corporation Tax return (CT600) and tax calculation
✅ Companies House and HMRC filing – handled for you
✅ Year-end bookkeeping checks and final adjustments
✅ Tax planning advice to reduce your liabilities
✅ Support with audit exemption and micro-entity reporting
✅ Ongoing support and clear communication throughout the process

We’ll ensure all adjustments – such as depreciation, accruals, prepayments, bad debts, and stock valuation – are professionally handled and clearly documented.

Micro-Entity and Small Company Benefits

If your company meets HMRC and Companies House thresholds for a micro-entity or small company, we can:

• Submit simplified or abridged accounts
• Claim audit exemption where eligible
• Reduce the volume of information published on the public register

We’ll assess your eligibility and ensure you’re taking full advantage of these reliefs.

Why Work with HPL Accountancy?

Year-end accounts are not just a tick-box exercise. When professionally prepared, they can offer real insights into your business, uncover tax-saving opportunities, and support strategic decision-making.

Choosing HPL Accountancy means:

• Trusted accountants with specialist knowledge of limited company compliance
• Seamless digital tools for efficient year-end processing
• Dedicated support from a team that knows your business
• Timely reminders, proactive advice, and no last-minute stress
  

Let Us Handle It All

Preparing and filing year-end accounts doesn’t need to be stressful. With HPL Accountancy managing the process from start to finish, you can focus on running your business – confident that everything is in expert hands.