Companies House commits to iXBRL
The UK government has confirmed that from April 2028, all companies registered at Companies House (the national business registrar) must file their accounts in iXBRL using commercial software. The web and paper routes for filing accounts will close, whether a company files its own accounts or uses an accountant or agent.
A separate requirement for small companies and micro-entities to file profit and loss accounts has been paused, following recommendations from the Small Business Regulatory Taskforce. Abridged accounts will remain, and smaller companies can still leave profit and loss information out of the accounts they file. In the meantime, the government will look at streamlining filing between Companies House and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), under its “tell Government once” plan.
The pause on Profit and Loss doesn’t dent the ambition here: switching to iXBRL for all accounts means tagged data, and tagged data is easier to aggregate, compare and analyse. There will, however, be a data gap, and profit and loss figures represent particularly useful information. HMRC already receives accounts in iXBRL alongside tax returns, which gives a joined-up approach a ready-made foundation.
Read more here.
