Confirmation Statement

TL;DR

Annual UK Companies House filing (CS01) confirming directors, registered address, share capital, and persons with significant control are still accurate.

A confirmation statement is the UK's lightweight annual check-in: every limited company files a CS01 at least once every 12 months (typically on the anniversary of incorporation), confirming or updating the registered office, officers, share capital, shareholder list, SIC codes, and PSC register. The filing fee is £34 online or £62 by paper, and the form takes 20 minutes once a clean cap-table is to hand.

It replaced the older 'annual return' (AR01) in 2016. Missing the deadline doesn't trigger an automatic fine, but persistent failure leads Companies House to begin strike-off proceedings, which freezes bank accounts and assets — so most UK founders set a calendar reminder or have their accountant own the filing.

Worked example

A UK Series-A startup files its CS01 every March 12th confirming five directors, an EMI option pool of 12% of fully diluted shares, and one PSC (the founder still controlling 51%) — investors auditing the data room see a clean unbroken filing history.

Common pitfalls

• Forgetting to file because there's no auto-reminder once the company is 'overdue'.
• Submitting an out-of-date PSC register that contradicts later SH01 filings.
• Confusing the confirmation statement with the annual accounts — they're separate filings on separate calendars.

When this shows up in a pitch deck

Not directly in the deck; investors checking the company on Companies House will spot a missed CS01 immediately and treat it as a red flag.

Related terms

• Companies House Filing — Mandatory public filings every UK Ltd makes to Companies House — incorporation, share allotments, PSC register, accounts, and confirmation statement.
• Articles of Association (UK) — UK company's constitutional document at Companies House setting share rights, transfer restrictions, board powers, drag/tag and decision thresholds.
• Cap Table — A spreadsheet or system-of-record showing every shareholder, share class, option, warrant, and convertible instrument outstanding in a company.
• Due Diligence — The investigation an investor performs to verify the claims in the pitch and assess all material risks before signing a term sheet or wiring funds.
• Founder — A person who started or co-started the company and (typically) holds founder common stock subject to founder vesting.

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