The pause is over: Companies House confirms April 2028 for software-only accounts filing

First, software-only accounts filing was coming in April 2027.

Then, it was paused.

Now, Companies House has finally confirmed the revised date: from April 2028, all UK companies will need to file their annual accounts using commercial software.

And when Companies House says all companies, it means all companies—including dormant ones.

So, after a little regulatory stop, start and reschedule, we finally know when the change is happening.

A quick recap: how did we get here?

We first wrote about these reforms in June 2025, when Companies House announced that annual accounts would need to be filed through commercial software from 1 April 2027. That would mean the end of the familiar Companies House WebFiling form for dormant accounts, as well as paper accounts filings.

Then, in March 2026, we shared an important update: the planned April 2027 implementation had been paused. At that point, Companies House said the reforms were still under review, but there was no replacement date. Companies were promised at least 21 months’ notice before any new accounts-filing requirements were introduced.

The direction of travel was still clear—accounts filing was going digital—but nobody knew exactly when the software-only requirement would begin.

We now have the answer.

The new date: April 2028

Companies House has announced that the package of accounts reforms will now take effect from April 2028, one year later than originally planned. From that point, all UK companies will need to submit their annual accounts in the required digital format using commercial software.

The requirement will apply whether:

• you prepare and file the company’s accounts yourself;

• an accountant files them for you; or

• you use an online accounts-filing service.

Companies House’s web and paper-based accounts filing routes will close when the new requirement begins. This does not mean the whole Companies House WebFiling service is disappearing. You should still be able to use WebFiling for other company submissions, such as confirmation statements and changes to director details.

It is specifically the filing of annual accounts that is moving to commercial software.

Does this apply to dormant companies?

Yes. A dormant company may have little or no financial activity, but it is still a registered company with annual filing obligations. Unless an exemption applies, dormant companies must continue to file accounts with Companies House each year. From April 2028, those dormant accounts will also need to be filed using commercial software.

This is likely to be most noticeable for directors who currently use the Companies House dormant accounts form. That familiar route will no longer be available for accounts filing once the software-only rules begin.

Your company may be dormant, but its filing obligations never seem to fall asleep.

Do dormant company owners need to do anything now?

There is no need to panic or rush out and buy a large accounting package. April 2028 is still some time away, and Companies House has deliberately provided a longer preparation period. However, it is worth understanding how you will file your accounts once the new rules begin—particularly if you currently rely on Companies House WebFiling or paper accounts.

The practical options will generally be to:

• use suitable commercial accounts-filing software;

• ask an accountant or agent to prepare and file the accounts; or

• use a specialist online service designed for dormant companies.

For a genuinely dormant company, the accounts are normally very simple. You should not need a complicated bookkeeping system designed for an active business with sales, expenses, employees and hundreds of transactions. You simply need a filing method that can prepare the required dormant accounts and submit them to Companies House in the correct digital format.

Already using Just Dormant Accounts?

Then you are already ahead of the change. Just Dormant Accounts is a software-based service designed specifically for filing dormant company accounts directly with Companies House.

You do not need to learn traditional accounting software, prepare accounts from scratch or work your way through a system filled with features that a dormant company does not need. You enter the required information, our software prepares the dormant accounts, and the filing is submitted electronically to Companies House.

In other words, while Companies House is moving everyone towards software filing, our customers are already using that route.

The bottom line

After months of uncertainty, Companies House has now set the revised date.

From April 2028, dormant companies will need to file their annual accounts using commercial software.

The existing Companies House web and paper routes for filing accounts will close, although WebFiling will remain available for certain other company submissions. There is plenty of time to prepare, and for dormant company owners, the change does not need to make annual filing more difficult.

By using a specialist service such as Just Dormant Accounts, you can file through software without having to become an accountant—or turn dormant company compliance into your newest and least exciting hobby.

Your company can remain dormant. Your filing method just needs to wake up to the new rules.

File your dormant accounts online

Need to file dormant company accounts now? Use Just Dormant Accounts to prepare and submit your accounts directly to Companies House through our simple online filing service. File your dormant accounts today.