Companies House filings - 47% increase in charges
Discussion
I have just endured that annual exercise that is filing a Confirmation Statement. This year, made all the more involved as director identities also have to be verified. I have lost track of the Government accounts, passwords and codes that I must have, in order to comply, complete and not go to prison.
I paid the £50 Confirmation Statement annual filing fee. Autocomplete in Quickbooks highlighted that last time I paid this, it was merely £34. That is a healthy 47% INCREASE.
I can assure HM Government / Companies House / HMRC that in the meantime that our business has not increased our hourly rate to customers more than 3%.
Just pulling my trousers back up after generous application of Vaseline. You don't have to look for a masked bandit outside of a jewelers to find a robber.
I paid the £50 Confirmation Statement annual filing fee. Autocomplete in Quickbooks highlighted that last time I paid this, it was merely £34. That is a healthy 47% INCREASE.
I can assure HM Government / Companies House / HMRC that in the meantime that our business has not increased our hourly rate to customers more than 3%.
Just pulling my trousers back up after generous application of Vaseline. You don't have to look for a masked bandit outside of a jewelers to find a robber.
TUS373 said:
Its not the amount, it is the level of increase. Big step up that cannot be justified by inflation. Its significant in economics.
Companies House charges were previously so unbelievably cheap, and hence the checks flimsy, that it encouraged every grifter, scammer and con-man to open a slew of companies. Sensible 21st century charges allows better identify and verification checks.Edited by Olivera on Monday 16th March 17:25
Companies House tried to increase the filing fee from £13 to £20 way back in 2000 or so. They were blocked by EU regulations which dictated that government entities were not allowed to generate profits from statutory fees.
As a result of that ruling, Companies House didn't try to increase their fees again for two decades.
As a result of that ruling, Companies House didn't try to increase their fees again for two decades.
Eric Mc said:
Companies House tried to increase the filing fee from £13 to £20 way back in 2000 or so. They were blocked by EU regulations which dictated that government entities were not allowed to generate profits from statutory fees.
Is DVLA a government entity? They certainly make a profit out of me, as does the Environment Agency. That's about £1,500 in tax before I've even gone anywhere!47% sounds so much more than £16
trickywoo said:
Running a Ltd in the uk is a miserable experience.
My accountant is up 7% this year as well.
Double 9% here so nearly 20% in just a few years.My accountant is up 7% this year as well.
I’d have sacked them off but now MTD is creeping in I’ll be letting them deal with all that crap for a bit till it settles down I think.
It’s all great if you are also getting your 5, 6, 9% rises in charge out, but we’re not.
Something is gonna break sooner than later.
Simpo Two said:
Eric Mc said:
Companies House tried to increase the filing fee from £13 to £20 way back in 2000 or so. They were blocked by EU regulations which dictated that government entities were not allowed to generate profits from statutory fees.
Is DVLA a government entity? They certainly make a profit out of me, as does the Environment Agency. That's about £1,500 in tax before I've even gone anywhere!47% sounds so much more than £16
And I have just received an email from companies house, here is an extract. Thanks for giving out my home address DOB etc all lined up with company accounts, cash in bank etc... only taken 6 months to be identified.
'On Friday 13 March, we identified an issue with WebFiling. We took the service offline at 1:30pm that day while we investigated and fixed the problem. WebFiling has been independently tested and has been back online since 9am on Monday 16 March.
The issue arose from a system update in October 2025 and was not the result of a malicious attempt to attack our systems. It is not a cyber-attack. The issue could only have been exploited by a logged-in user performing a specific set of actions. Our investigation found that it was technically possible for a logged-in registered user to:
1. See certain data not normally published on the public register:
· the day of the date of birth for directors and PSCs
· residential address for directors and PSCs
· company registered email address
2. File updates to any information without consent. For example, new accounts or changes of director.'
'On Friday 13 March, we identified an issue with WebFiling. We took the service offline at 1:30pm that day while we investigated and fixed the problem. WebFiling has been independently tested and has been back online since 9am on Monday 16 March.
The issue arose from a system update in October 2025 and was not the result of a malicious attempt to attack our systems. It is not a cyber-attack. The issue could only have been exploited by a logged-in user performing a specific set of actions. Our investigation found that it was technically possible for a logged-in registered user to:
1. See certain data not normally published on the public register:
· the day of the date of birth for directors and PSCs
· residential address for directors and PSCs
· company registered email address
2. File updates to any information without consent. For example, new accounts or changes of director.'
And for that cost increase, we get to deal with this ... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y41p0dy1wo
Puzzles said:
trickywoo said:
Running a Ltd in the uk is a miserable experience.
My accountant is up 7% this year as well.
they are probably being bent over with well above inflation software increasesMy accountant is up 7% this year as well.
Software companies have been laughing all the way to the bank over the past few years - especially having persuaded the government that it is compulsory to use the software they design.
Eric Mc said:
Puzzles said:
trickywoo said:
Running a Ltd in the uk is a miserable experience.
My accountant is up 7% this year as well.
they are probably being bent over with well above inflation software increasesMy accountant is up 7% this year as well.
Software companies have been laughing all the way to the bank over the past few years - especially having persuaded the government that it is compulsory to use the software they design.
They are not your friends.Eric Mc said:
Puzzles said:
trickywoo said:
Running a Ltd in the uk is a miserable experience.
My accountant is up 7% this year as well.
they are probably being bent over with well above inflation software increasesMy accountant is up 7% this year as well.
Software companies have been laughing all the way to the bank over the past few years - especially having persuaded the government that it is compulsory to use the software they design.
I've had an email from our tax suite software provider today informing me that their price is increasing from May. It goes into great lengths detailing all of the new 'brilliant' features, but fails to mention one important part - how much the price increase is. I'd better reach for the lube...
LeighW said:
Eric Mc said:
Puzzles said:
trickywoo said:
Running a Ltd in the uk is a miserable experience.
My accountant is up 7% this year as well.
they are probably being bent over with well above inflation software increasesMy accountant is up 7% this year as well.
Software companies have been laughing all the way to the bank over the past few years - especially having persuaded the government that it is compulsory to use the software they design.
I've had an email from our tax suite software provider today informing me that their price is increasing from May. It goes into great lengths detailing all of the new 'brilliant' features, but fails to mention one important part - how much the price increase is. I'd better reach for the lube...
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