From 1 February 2026, Companies House will be changing its fees in the first major update since the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Act came into force. While the increases are being introduced to support transparency and enforcement, the increased fees will mean a rise in running costs for many small business owners.
What is Companies House?
Companies House is the government agency responsible for registering and maintaining information about limited companies and other corporate entities. When you set up a limited company, you must register it with Companies House to ensure it has a legal identity. It also holds records of company activity including accounts, and any changes to directors and shareholders.
What fees are changing?
Among the most significant adjustments are:
- Digital incorporation filing fee: rising from £50 to £100
- Digital confirmation statement fee: increasing from £34 to £50
- Digital voluntary strike-off fee: decreasing from £33 to £13
- Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) registration fee: going up from £55 to £63, despite the system launching only in March 2025.
Why are the changes happening?
Companies House has confirmed that the new fees will help fund efforts to create a more transparent and trustworthy landscape for business, reduce economic crime and strengthen enforcement powers. The incomes from fees currently supports:
- The incorporation and maintenance of millions of UK company records
- Publication of accessible business data worth billions to the economy
- Enforcement activities carried out by The Insolvency Service, such as director disqualification and fraud prosecutions.
Mixed reactions from business
Whilst higher fees could deter unnecessary incorporations and improve overall data quality, it’s clear that the changes will add more pressure at a time when business costs are already climbing. This might impact small businesses particularly, especially given the confirmation statement fee has risen from £13 to £50 and the new formation fee from £10 to £100 in just two years. This is against a backdrop which has seen 2024 reporting more business dissolutions than incorporations for the first time in over a decade.
The impact for small businesses
For many limited companies these increases represent another layer of administrative cost and pressure on cash flow. To discuss any aspect of your business planning and accounts, please contact our friendly Chichester based team.