Can a confirmation statement be amended?

If you’ve ever had to complete a confirmation statement for Companies House, you will know how easy it is to make a mistake. This is particularly true if you need to report any changes on the form. And even if all of the information is correct at the time of filing, it can soon become out of date. Fortunately, amending a confirmation statement is usually straightforward.

In this post, we will explain how to amend a confirmation statement if you make a mistake or need to update information that is now out of date. But first, let’s recap the purpose of this filing requirement.

What is a confirmation statement?

All companies are legally required to submit at least one confirmation statement to Companies House every 12 months, regardless of whether any of the company information has changed.

Even if your company is dormant, you must still file an annual statement.

By doing so, you are confirming to Companies House that the information they hold on your company is accurate and up to date at the time of filing.

How do I correct a mistake on a confirmation statement?

If you submit a confirmation statement containing inaccurate information, you must make a second filing. This involves filing a new statement with the correct information, alongside Companies House form RP04 – Second filing of a document previously delivered.

You can make a second filing in one of two ways:

1. Online using Companies House WebFiling system. At present, this is limited to errors relating to share capital or shareholders.
2. By completing the forms on paper and posting them to Companies House, or by scanning or uploading PDF copies of the documents using the Upload a document to Companies House service.

How do I update company information that is out of date?

If any company information has changed since the last statement was filed, you will need to report the changes to Companies House.

You can update the following details by filing a new confirmation statement:

• Changes to the principal business activities or standard industrial classification (SIC)
• Changes to the statement of capital
• Changes to the trading status of shares
• Changes to an exemption from keeping a register of people with significant control (PSC)
• Changes to shareholder information

However, the following types of changes cannot be updated on the confirmation statement itself:

• Registered office address
• Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL address)
• People with Significant Control (PSC)
• Details of company directors and secretaries
• The company’s registered email address

To report any such changes, you will need to complete and deliver the appropriate Companies House form online or by post. For the registered email address, you must use the ‘update a registered email address‘ service at Companies House.

When you have reported the relevant change(s) to Companies House, you will verify the information when you file the next confirmation statement. However, there is no need to do this straight away – you can simply wait until the statement is due.

Do I need to pay to file a new confirmation statement?

There is an annual confirmation statement filing fee payable to Companies House. This fee covers a 12-month payment period, during which you can submit multiple statements for no additional charge.

What is the difference between filing a new confirmation statement and amending one?

As discussed above, you can file more than one confirmation statement throughout each 12-month payment period. This enables companies to update certain information and/or confirm any changes as often as required during that time, without the need to pay additional fees.

However, if you make a mistake on a previously filed statement, you will need to use the second filing option. This ensures that the mistake is acknowledged and the records accurately reflect the company information at the time it was delivered.

Why is it important that a confirmation statement is amended?

It is vital that an inaccurate confirmation statement is amended as soon as possible, in line with the relevant sections under Part 24 of the Companies Act 2006.

Company directors have a legal duty not to file false information. They can be fined, prosecuted, and even disqualified if they fail to comply with their responsibilities.

Furthermore, any discoveries of incorrect information held on the public register of companies can lead to problems when dealing with third parties, such as banks, investors, clients, and suppliers.

Do you need help to file a confirmation statement?

Rapid Formations can assist with the preparation and filing of your confirmation statements, ensuring that your company details are accurate and up to date on the public register at Companies House. Our Confirmation Statement Service is priced at £49.99 plus VAT per year.