Filing with HMRC and Companies House is changing: here’s what you must do

If you’re a finance professional in the UK, you’ve no doubt heard that big changes are on the way when it comes to filing with Companies House and HMRC.

But how will these changes affect your work, and how much do you need to prepare?

To find out more, I sat with my colleagues Nick Lloyd, Senior Product Manager, and Mark Elley, Pre-Sales Team Lead. They explained why the changes are happening and what some businesses are already doing about it.

Why everything will change when filing with HMRC and Companies House

It’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. Until now, filing has followed the same routine, year in year out. But now, the ground is shifting.

By March 2026, HMRC’s joint filing service will be decommissioned. A year later, in Spring 2027, Companies House will retire its online web filing portal and stop accepting paper accounts altogether.

Suddenly, some existing accounting tools and workflows simple won’t work. Filing will be software digital-only, and you will need to have the right software or solution in place on time to comply.

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Find out how filing is changing

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Why are these changes happening now?

In short, this is all about tackling crime. The changes are rooted in the government’s  Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA). This law was written to make business data more reliable, transparent, and secure. As part of this, Companies House is getting new powers to verify identities, weed out fraud, and ensure information on the public register is trustworthy.

The truth is that criminals have infected the whole economic system, making life more difficult for law-abiding businesses. Nick Lloyd, Senior Product Manager at IRIS, said: “Every person shown as a Person of Significant Control (PSC), director, or LLP member should genuinely be who they claim to be.

“If inaccurate or fraudulent data enters the system, it has a cascading effect. It undermines the work of credit agencies and, in turn, affects banks’ decisions when lending money. By tackling the issue at its source, the entire chain, from the registry to financial institutions, benefits from more consistent and trustworthy data.”

What do the changes mean for you?

How are businesses like yours preparing for these changes?

Mark Elley revealed that some are eager to get ahead, running new software alongside their old processes to see how it fits. Others are worried about losing the comfort of their spreadsheets or the ease of sending a Word doc to their auditor.

“The businesses reaching out to IRIS now are doing so to understand what options exist and what requirements they’ll face,” he said.

He adds that others sense opportunity in the changes. “With the move to digital, finance teams can rethink their entire approach – not just to filing, but to how they prepare, review, and submit accounts. Some organisations are using this transition as a chance to streamline, automate, and even gain more control over their data,” he said.

Ultimately, time is running out

The thing these organisations have in common is that they are taking action. They realise it might take a while to see their business cases signed off, software integrated, and training completed. But starting now means that when the changes do happen, everything will be in place.

Here’s the bottom line: as far as we know, there will be no grace period. Late or non-compliant filings will mean fines and penalties. And, as Nick warned, there won’t be a grace period. “When the change happens, it’ll be like flipping a light switch,” he said. “In a moment, the old way of doing things will be gone.”

How do you get started?

 Your first steps must be to

• Review your current processes
• explore software options
• get your team comfortable with the new requirements.

This works: businesses that upgrade to dedicated software see a range of benefits, from smoother audits to more reliable compliance.

Importantly, remember, you don’t have to go it alone. Whether you choose to outsource, bring things in-house, or use a hybrid approach, there are solutions – and support – out there.

Ready to dive deeper?

If you want to hear more real-world stories and practical advice, I highly recommend watching our dedicated webinar. It’s packed with insights from people who are helping organisations like yours navigate this transition.

Hear more about:

• Strategic options: consider whether to manage accounts production internally using commercial software or to engage an accountant, with practical guidance provided for each approach.

• Assessing your readiness: discover how to evaluate your existing processes and prepare for future actions.

• Developing a clear action plan: leave with a useful checklist that will help steer your business toward compliance.

About our webinar speakers

You’ve already heard from the speakers, Nick and Mark, in this blog – here’s the level of insight they bring:

Nick Lloyd is Senior Product Manager at IRIS Software Group, with over two decades working in software product management and accountancy practices. He now drives innovation across IRIS’s Accounts Production and compliance solutions.

Mark Elley is Pre-Sales Team Lead at IRIS Software Group, where he has worked for more than ten years. With a strong background in SaaS and business relationship management, Mark is passionate about great customer service.

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