April 2027 “software-only” accounts filing has been paused

If you run a company, you’ve probably been hearing the same refrain for a while: “Companies House is going software-only from April 2027.” But this has now been paused.

Here’s the key update: Companies House has now confirmed that the planned accounts-filing changes will not be introduced in April 2027. They are under review, with no replacement date yet, and businesses will get at least 21 months’ notice before anything new kicks in.

This post explains what was originally planned, what’s now paused, and what dormant company owners should do next.

What was supposed to change in April 2027?

The account-related reforms that were due to start on 1 April 2027 included two big shifts (especially relevant to small companies, micro-entities, and dormant companies):

1. “Software-only” filing for company accounts

   The plan was that accounts would need to be filed via commercial software, and that the old routes (including WebFiling for accounts) would no longer be available for accounts submissions.

   
   

2. More financial information becoming public

   Alongside software-only filing, there were proposals that would have meant more detailed accounts (including profit & loss information) being filed on the public register for small companies and micro-entities.

What’s changed now?

Companies House updated official guidance to state that:

• changes to accounts filing will not be introduced in April 2027

• the reforms are still under review

• a final decision will be announced later

• companies will receive at least 21 months’ notice before any new requirements start

So: the April 2027 deadline is off the table for now.

But it’s not a “cancelled forever” message. It’s a pause + review message.

The direction is still "more digital". Even while confirming the pause, the government’s campaign site still frames software filing as the long-term destination — i.e., “in the future, all accounts will need to be filed using commercial software.” So it’s sensible to treat this current pause as temporary and giving more time for the eventual digitisation, just on a revised timetable.

What does this mean if you only file dormant accounts?

If your company is dormant, here’s the practical takeaway:

1. You still need to file dormant accounts every year

   The pause doesn’t change the core rule: a dormant company still has ongoing filing obligations.

   
   

2. You don’t need to “panic-buy” software because of April 2027

   There is no confirmed start date for software-only accounts filing now.

   
   

3. But it’s still smart to pick a filing method that won’t be disrupted later

   If you’d rather avoid future rule-changes turning into a last-minute scramble, filing via software now can be the least stressful route — especially if you maintain multiple dormant companies or you just want it done quickly and correctly each year.

That’s exactly what we built Just Dormant Accounts for: simple dormant accounts, filed electronically to Companies House, without you needing to become a compliance hobbyist.

One “near-term” change dormant company owners should not ignore: the joint filing service is closing

Separate from the paused 2027 accounts reforms, HMRC and Companies House are closing the online service that lets you file accounts and your Company Tax Return together (CATO) on 31 March 2026. If you’ve been using that service, HMRC guidance says you should download and save at least the last 3 years of filed returns before it closes, because you won’t be able to access them afterwards.