Companies House and HMRC to close joint online filing service

Companies House and HMRC have announced that they will close their joint online filing service on on 31 March 2026.

The service, used by businesses to file accounts and Company Tax Returns at the same time with both organisations, will be wound down to align with modern digital standards, enhanced corporation tax requirements and recent legislative changes.

Instead, businesses must use third party software to file their Company Tax Return with HMRC, while web services or paper filing can continue to be used to file accounts with Companies House, filing using software will become the only way to businesses will be able to submit accounts to the organisation in future. Closing the service also reinforces other changes taking place at Companies House, as further measures set out in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act are implemented, and new processes such as Identity Verification (IDV) are introduced.

For businesses currently using the joint filing service, it is recommended that they download and save at least three years of accounts filings ahead of April 2026, and begin considering software filing options that can meet the requirements of both HMRC and Companies House.

Future changes to Companies House supports the government’s goal of enabling a fully digital filing service. It will also help meet its organisational priority to prevent economic crime and bring the UK in line with international best practice. At least 21 months’ notice before any further changes to services come into effect.