Tax year: 2026/27 | Last reviewed: 2 October 2026
Private limited companies have not needed a company secretary since 2008, but the legal duties a secretary used to handle have not gone away. They now fall on the directors. With the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act bringing identity verification, tougher checks and higher fees, getting company administration right matters more than it used to.
What a company secretarial service covers
- Confirmation statements: preparing and filing the annual statement and paying the fee
- Officer changes: appointing and removing directors and recording changes in their details
- People with significant control (PSC): keeping the PSC register up to date and filing changes within 14 days
- Share changes: share allotments, transfers, new share classes and the related Companies House forms and stamp duty
- Statutory registers: members, directors, PSCs and charges
- Board minutes and resolutions: dividend minutes, written resolutions and changes to articles
- Registered office: a compliant address for official post
- Identity verification: verifying directors and PSCs as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider
Why it matters
Compliance and penalties
Failing to file a confirmation statement or notify changes is an offence, and late accounts trigger automatic penalties from £150 to £1,500, doubled if late two years running. Companies House can strike off a company that does not file, freezing its bank account and transferring its assets to the Crown.
Dividends and paperwork
Dividends must be properly declared with board minutes and supported by distributable profits. Missing paperwork is one of the first things HMRC asks for in an enquiry. Read dividend tax rates 2026/27.
Selling, investing or borrowing
Buyers, investors and lenders carry out due diligence on statutory records. Missing share transfers or wrong PSC details can delay deals and cost money to fix.
Time and cost
For most owners, the cost of a secretarial service is less than the time spent working out the forms, and much less than the cost of correcting errors later. A good service also reminds you before deadlines and keeps everything in one place.
Our approach
We combine company secretarial work with your accounts and tax, so a new director, share issue or change of address is updated everywhere at once, from Companies House to HMRC and your Xero records. See our registered office address service and the latest Companies House fees.
FAQs
Does my company need a company secretary?
No, private companies do not need to appoint one unless their articles require it. The directors are responsible instead.
What is a PSC?
A person with significant control, usually someone owning more than 25% of the shares or votes, or who can appoint most of the board.
Do I need to verify my identity with Companies House?
Yes, all directors and PSCs must. See director identity checks.
Talk it through with Digivolve
Our company secretarial service covers your filings, registers, registered office and director ID verification for a fixed annual fee.
This article is general information based on the rules for the 2026/27 tax year as at October 2026. It is not personal tax advice. Rates and thresholds can change, so please speak to us before acting.