The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 introduced a number of changes, some of which are due to impact small companies as at 30 June 2016.

Annual Returns

Annual Returns will no longer be required for made-up dates of 30th June or later. Now firms will required to file a Confirmation Statement:

The confirmation statement is due within 14 days of the confirmation date. Previously 28 days for annual returns.

A confirmation statement is not to be used to inform Companies House of new information if there is a separate form for these changes.

For instance changes to the registered office (and/or SAIL) address, changes or updates to the company’s officers, should be notified separately before the confirmation statement is filed.

In addition if the company is taking advantage of the right to hold its statutory registers at Companies House, (which came in on 6 April 2016) these registers must be separately updated.

Companies House is introducing a new form (CS01) containing the declaration that records held by the Registrar are correct on the confirmation date. There will also be optional “additional information” pages to submit any changes to certain information.

Information that needs to be submitted along with the confirmation statement:

  • Changes to the SIC code – main activity
  • Changes to members’ shareholdings where register of members’ interests is not held at  Companies House
  • Updated information held on the PSC register and why they are a PSC

PSC stands for “Person with Significant Control”.

From 6 April 2016 companies and LLP’s will be required to maintain a register of them similar to that currently held for directors. A PSC is someone who:

  • Has direct or indirect ownership of more than 25% of a company’s shares;
  • Has direct or indirect control of more than 25% of a company’s voting rights;
  • Has direct or indirect right to appoint or remove a majority of the board of company directors;
  • Someone who exercises or has a right to exercise significant influence or control over a company; and/or
  • Exercises or has a right to exercise significant influence or control over activities of a trust or firm which itself meets one or more of the first four conditions

Statement of Capital

As at 30 June 2016, the requirement to include the paid up amount per share is to be removed with just the aggregate unpaid amount required on future statements of capital (whether this be on SH01s, SH02s or any other Companies House forms).

Option for a private company to keep a public register

From 30 June 2016 there is now an option for private companies to keep a public register rather than private statutory books. Companies House has stated that it is unlikely there will be much uptake however companies will have the option to keep their statutory books at Companies House. That is register of members, directors, secretaries etc.

If this option is taken up private details, such as full date of birth and residential address, will be available online.