Tax & Compliance

Important Change for Limited Companies: Free HMRC Filing Service Closes April 2026

Published: May 2026 4 min read Corporation Tax · Companies House · Filing
Back to Resources

If you run a limited company and currently file your own accounts and Corporation Tax return using the free HMRC/Companies House online service, you need to be aware of an important upcoming change.

What is changing?

From 31 March 2026, HMRC and Companies House will permanently close their free joint online filing service for company accounts and Corporation Tax returns. From 1 April 2026, all companies will need to use commercial software to file their annual accounts and Corporation Tax return.

If you currently use the free HMRC/Companies House service, you should download your old returns and accounts before the portal closes. The government and professional bodies are advising companies to save at least the last three years of returns and accounts from the portal, as you won't be able to access them online after March 2026.

What about Companies House filing?

Companies will still be able to file their annual accounts with Companies House using third-party software, Companies House web services or paper filing for now. However, this too is expected to move to software-only filing in the future.

What should you do?

If you currently self-file using the free service, you have two options:

  • Find and subscribe to HMRC-approved commercial software yourself
  • Hand the filing over to a professional accountant — which for many small businesses is better value than purchasing and managing software independently

How we can help

At Capital Force One, our Annual Report and Corporation Tax Return service covers everything — from preparing your accounts to filing with both HMRC and Companies House using compliant commercial software. You won't need to worry about software subscriptions, deadlines or compliance changes.

Take this off your plate

Get in touch for a free initial consultation to discuss how we can manage your annual filing — compliantly, on time, and without the hassle.

Get a Free Initial Consultation