Companies House Software for Filing: What Directors Need

Companies House provides a free online filing service — WebFiling — that handles confirmation statements, annual accounts, and other submissions. It works. But it only does what you tell it to do: it files what you submit, when you submit it, without checking whether you're about to miss a deadline or whether your submission contains errors that'll get it rejected.

That gap between "can file" and "files correctly, on time, every time" is where filing software earns its value.

What Companies House WebFiling Does (and Doesn't)

WebFiling does:

• Submit confirmation statements (CS01) and annual accounts
• File director appointments, resignations, and address changes
• Process changes to your accounting reference date
• Provide filing receipts and confirmation

WebFiling doesn't:

• Track your deadlines or tell you what's due when
• Send reminders before deadlines approach
• Validate your submission for common errors before you file
• Track identity verification status for directors and PSCs
• Manage filings across multiple companies in one view

WebFiling is a filing tool, not a compliance tool. It's the equivalent of having a post box — useful when you have something to send, but it won't remind you to send it.

What Filing Software Should Do

Good filing software bridges the gap between knowing what to file and actually filing it correctly and on time. Here's what to look for:

Deadline Intelligence

The most valuable feature isn't filing — it's knowing when to file. Software should:

• Show all upcoming deadlines across all your companies in a single view
• Send reminders at multiple intervals (30, 14, 7, 1 day before each deadline)
• Distinguish between different filing types (accounts, confirmation statements, event-driven filings)
• Flag deadlines that are approaching while filings are still incomplete

Pre-Submission Validation

Between 5% and 7% of Companies House submissions are rejected for technical errors. If a rejection happens near your deadline, you face an involuntary late filing and an automatic penalty.

Filing software should check for:

• Correct accounting reference date
• Company name matching Companies House records exactly
• Valid authentication code
• Required fields completed correctly
• Consistency between submitted data and existing company records

The cost of a rejected filing near a deadline can be significant — see our complete penalty guide for the exact amounts. Use the free late filing penalty calculator to see what a missed deadline would cost you.

Identity Verification Tracking

From November 2025, confirmation statements can't be filed unless all directors and PSCs have verified their identity. Software should track:

• Which directors and PSCs have verified
• Which haven't, and what their deadline is
• Whether the personal code has been provided for each company

This is particularly important for directors across multiple companies — you verify once but must provide your code for each entity.

Multi-Company Management

A single-company director can manage deadlines with calendar reminders. But directors with 2+ companies — portfolio landlords with SPVs, directors of a trading company plus a holding company — need a centralised view.

Software should show all companies in one dashboard, not force you to log in separately for each one. For a detailed evaluation framework, see our company secretarial software guide.

The 2026 Software-Only Filing Change

From 31 March 2026, HMRC's Company Accounts and Tax Online (CATO) service closes. Corporation tax returns (CT600) must be filed using commercial software or through an agent. This doesn't directly affect Companies House filings — you can still file confirmation statements and accounts via WebFiling — but it's a signal that government filing is increasingly moving toward software intermediaries.

If you're setting up filing software for Companies House, consider whether the same tool (or an integrated workflow) can handle HMRC requirements as well.

How to Evaluate Filing Software

Before choosing a tool, answer these questions:

What are you filing? If you only file confirmation statements (your accountant handles accounts), your needs are simpler. If you handle everything yourself, you need broader coverage.

How many companies? One company can be managed with calendar reminders. Three or more needs a system.

What's your biggest risk? If you've had a filing rejected, pre-submission validation matters. If you've missed a deadline, reminder cadence matters. If you have unverified directors, identity verification tracking matters.

What does it cost vs the penalty? A late filing penalty starts at £150 and doubles for repeat offenders. Software that costs less than one penalty per year and prevents even one missed deadline pays for itself immediately.

Key Takeaways

• Companies House WebFiling files what you submit — it doesn't manage your compliance
• Filing software should track deadlines, validate submissions, and monitor identity verification
• Pre-submission validation prevents the 5–7% rejection rate that causes involuntary late filings
• Multi-company directors need a single dashboard, not separate logins per entity
• From 31 March 2026, HMRC CT600 filing requires commercial software — review your full filing workflow

Sources

• Late filing penalties — GOV.UK
• Verify your identity for Companies House — GOV.UK
• Companies House company search