All Companies Must Transition to Software Filing
From 1 April 2028, every UK registered company will be required to file accounts using commercial software in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL) format. The government announced these changes on 9 June 2026, implementing measures from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
Companies House will close its existing web-based accounts filing routes and will no longer accept paper filings for accounts. This affects every limited company, public company, and community interest company in the UK.
New Requirements for Small Companies and Micro-Entities
Small companies and micro-entities will now be required to file their profit and loss (P&L) account with Companies House from April 2028. While these firms will not be forced to publish their data publicly, they must still file the P&L statement as part of their annual accounts submission.
This represents a significant change from current rules, where small companies and micro-entities could file abbreviated accounts. All account filings must now include the P&L statement.
What You Need to Do
For SME owners and Ltd company directors, the key action is to plan your transition to approved software. Companies House provides a list of software providers on GOV.UK to help you identify compliant platforms. Your accountant or bookkeeper can advise on which software integrates best with your existing accounting systems.
The April 2028 deadline gives you nearly two years to plan the transition, but starting discussions with your software provider and accountant now is sensible to avoid last-minute disruption.