Companies House fee increases – here’s what you actually need to know
Not so long ago, Companies House fees were fairly small and easy to overlook. Fast‑forward to today and they’ve gone up by around 350% on average since 2024, turning basic company admin into a real, ongoing cost. With more increases landing in February 2026, it’s worth understanding what you now need to budget for even if your company is registered as dormant.
Why have the fees gone up?
Companies House isn’t just a filing office anymore. It’s been given a much bigger role, with tighter rules around who can run companies and how information is checked.
The higher fees are helping pay for:
- Better fraud prevention and crackdowns on fake companies
- ID checks for directors and people who own or control companies
- More robust data checks and enforcement powers
- A move towards fully online filing (paper is being phased out and priced higher)
Companies House works on a cost‑recovery basis, which means these changes are paid for through fees rather than general taxes.
The headline increases (since 2024)
Setting up a company online
- Used to cost £12
- Will cost £100 from 2026
- Increase since 2024: +£88 / +733%
Annual confirmation statement online
- Used to cost £13
- Will cost £50 every year
- Increase since 2024: +£37 / +285%
- This applies even if your company is dormant
From 2026, every limited company has a minimum £50 annual Companies House cost, whether it trades or not.
What that looks like in practice
Year one (new company from 2026):
- Online incorporation: £100
- Confirmation statement: £50
- Total Companies House fees: £150
Ongoing years:
- Confirmation statement only: £50 per year
These are just Companies House fees they don’t include accountancy or tax costs.
Other Companies House fees that have increased
It’s not just incorporations and annual filings. Common tasks cost more now too:
- Company name change (online): £8 → £20 (+150%)
- Voluntary strike‑off (online): £8 → £33 (+312%)
- Letting a company lapse and restoring it later:
Now often hundreds of pounds
How this works at SmallBiz Accounts
At SmallBiz Accounts, we only file online with Companies House, as this is the cheapest and quickest option.
To make things easy, we pay the Companies House fees on customers behalf using our own Companies House account, so you don’t have to:
- Enter payment details
- Create and account and log into Companies House
- Worry about filings being held up because a payment didn’t go through
We then pass those Companies House fees on within our own charges, keeping everything simple and in one place.
What should you do?
- Expect higher statutory costs going forward
- Think about whether any dormant or “just in case” companies are still worth keeping
- Make sure name changes, closures are needed.
If you’re unsure whether a company is still needed, or you’re planning to set one up, just get in touch we’re happy to help you decide.
