Every company is obliged to submit an annual return to the Registrar at Companies House each year made up to a date not later than the company’s return date. The annual return is a summary of the company which gives information about the company’s directors, the company secretary, the registered office, the shareholders and its share capital.
The Return Date
The company’s directors and the secretary, if one has been appointed, must deliver the annual return to Companies House within 28 days after the anniversary of incorporation of the company or the anniversary of the last annual return. So the return date will be either:
- The anniversary of the company’s date of incorporation
- The anniversary of the date of the last annual return if different from the date of incorporation
Failure to deliver the annual return on time means that an offence is committed by the company, every director of the company, the company secretary if one has been appointed and every other officer of the company.
Required Information
The information provided in the annual return must include the following general information:
- Company name
- Company registered number
- Company registered office
- The address where company records are kept if not the registered office
- The date to which the annual return is made up
- Directors’ details
- Company secretary’s details, if one has been appointed
- The principal business activities of the company
- Whether the company is public or private
It must also include the following information about share capital:
- The total number of shares in the company
- The aggregate nominal value of the shares
- For each class of shares:
- The voting rights attached to those shares
- The total number of shares of that class
- The aggregate nominal value of shares of that class
- The amount paid up on those shares
Private companies or non-traded public companies must include a full list of shareholder detailing:
- A full list of shareholders
- The name of any shareholder who has ceased holding shares since the last annual return
- The number and class of shares held by each shareholder
- Details of any transfers of shares
- The date of registration of any transfers of shares
Traded public companies must provide a list of shareholders who hold at least 5% of issued shares of any class as at the made up date of the return.
Fees
There is a fee of £40 for paper returns and £14 for electronic returns.
Rollingsons has lawyers experienced in handling company secretarial work;if you need advice or help with company filings please contact James Crighton via e-mail jcrighton@rollingsons.co.uk or by phone on 0207 611 4848.
