E-filing with companies house

In a change to their previous stated position, Companies House has announced that it will no longer be mandating electronic filing by March 2013. This means that companies will no longer be required to submit their accounts in an electronic tagged format, known as ixbrl, from that date.

The change in policy follows a high take-up rate of voluntary electronic filing of documents and is intended to reflect the government’s stated commitment of reducing regulation for small businesses.

Companies House however have stated that they remain committed to becoming fully electronic and they will review the situation again in 2014, at which point it is possible that the requirements will be re-instated.

This announcement also has no impact for the filing of accounts with HMRC which are already required to be submitted in ixbrl format from 1 April this year.

If you would like to discuss this, please get in touch with your usual Johnston Carmichael contact, or David McBain, Partner, Audit & Assurance, 01343 547492. david.mcbain@jcca.co.uk