Many doctors and dentists now set up limited companies for certain income streams, and some GPs may also find themselves directors of companies formed to run their local PCN.
Taking on a directorship means not only are you legally responsible for running the company, but you must also make sure information is sent to Companies House on time.
Company accounts
For existing companies, accounts need to be filed with Companies House by nine months after the accounting reference date – the company year-end. For example, for a 31 March year-end, the
accounts need to be filed by 31 December.
For new companies, the very first filing date is nine months after the company was formed. This can lead to unusual filing deadlines in the first year, which can catch directors out! Thereafter, the deadline returns to nine months after the year-end date.
Accounts filed late will incur a financial penalty from Companies House, and their correspondence sent to directors will highlight that it is a criminal offence not to file accounts. As a director, you could be personally fined in the criminal courts. If a company is persistently filing documents late, Companies House will be quicker to threaten action against the directors.
If you know your accounts are going to be late, you can apply for a filing extension, but this will only be granted in exceptional circumstances and you cannot apply after your filing deadline has already passed. Recently, companies have been able to apply for a three-month extension due to Covid delays, but it is unclear how long this filing extension will be available for.
Confirmation statement
Every year, a company must file a confirmation statement. The statement is due 14 days after your review date. You can check your review date on the Companies House website. The statement is your confirmation that the information held by Companies House about your company is correct. Changes such as the appointment of new directors cannot be done using this form and must be done before the form can be submitted.
Provided Companies House has been updated with any changes that have occurred during the year, completing the form is a straightforward exercise.
The easiest way to submit your statement is online at the Companies House website. You will need to pay a filing fee of £13. There are no filing penalties for the late submission of your confirmation statement, but it is a criminal offence not to complete the form, and Companies House may threaten to strike off the company.
Companies House have withdrawn their paper reminders for accounts and confirmation statements. They now have in place an email reminder service where companies can register four email addresses to receive reminders to file their accounts and confirmation statement. This can include your accountant’s email address too.
Other deadlines to consider
It is not just accounts and confirmation statements that need to be filed with Companies House. If a new director is appointed or a director’s appointment is terminated, Companies House should be notified using the appropriate form within 14 days of the change.
There are also forms to be submitted relating to the allotment of shares and any changes to a class of shares or their voting rights.
Most forms can now be submitted online, and guidance is available on the Companies House website.
If you have any questions in relation to what we have mentioned above, please get in touch with your normal BHP contact.
