HMRC Free Company Tax Return Filing Ends 31 March 2026 – What Your Business Must Do Now
The free online service for filing company tax returns with HMRC and Companies House will officially close on 31 March 2026, marking a major shift in how UK companies meet their compliance obligations.
From 1 April 2026, all companies will be required to use commercial or third-party software to file corporation tax returns. This change removes the long-standing free filing option and introduces a fully digital, software-driven system.
Why Is the Free Filing Service Closing?
According to Companies House, the joint filing service is being retired because:
It is outdated and no longer meets modern digital standards
It does not align with enhanced corporation tax reporting requirements
It fails to support recent legal reforms, including the
Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act
This move is part of a broader government strategy to modernise UK corporate reporting and strengthen safeguards against financial crime.
Urgent Action Required: Download Your Company Records
Before the service shuts down, companies are strongly advised to:
Download and save at least 3 years of filed accounts
Back up all corporation tax submissions
Store records securely for future reference and compliance
⚠️ Important: After 1 April 2026, all records within the current online filing system will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
What Changes from 1 April 2026?
1. Mandatory Use of Filing Software
All corporation tax returns must be submitted using approved commercial software. The free HMRC filing portal will no longer be available.
2. No Access to Previous Submissions
Previously filed returns will:
Not be stored
Not be accessible
Require manual re-entry if needed in the future
3. Amendments and Corrections
If you need to:
Amend a previously submitted return
Re-submit a rejected filing
You must:
Use commercial software, or
Submit a paper return (in limited circumstances)
How to Download Previous Returns
Companies can still retrieve past submissions before the deadline by:
Logging into the HMRC online service
Navigating to “Track your submissions”
Selecting the relevant accounting period
Saving the return as an HTML file
Filing Options After the Deadline
Corporation Tax Returns (HMRC)
✅ Must be filed using software
❌ Paper filing allowed only with a reasonable excuse or for Welsh language submissions
Annual Accounts (Companies House)
You can still file using:
Third-party software
WebFiling services
Paper submissions
Security Concerns and System Changes
The closure follows a recent IT security issue within Companies House, linked to the transition to
Gov.uk One Login.
While the issue has now been resolved, it raised concerns about data security and system reliability.
HMRC has confirmed that its systems remain secure and independent.
What This Means for Your Business
This change represents a significant shift towards full digital compliance in the UK. Businesses must:
Adopt reliable tax filing software
Maintain proper digital records
Work with professional accountants to ensure compliance
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When does HMRC free company tax return filing end?
The free joint filing service closes on 31 March 2026.
2. What happens after 1 April 2026?
You must use commercial software to submit corporation tax returns to HMRC.
3. Can I still file company accounts for free?
You can still file accounts with Companies House using:
WebFiling
Paper filing
Third-party software
4. Will I lose access to my old tax returns?
Yes. All records in the current system will be permanently deleted, so you must download them before the deadline.
5. Can I amend a previously submitted tax return after April 2026?
Yes, but only by:
Using commercial software, or
Submitting a paper return (in limited cases)
6. Are there any exceptions to online filing?
Limited exceptions include:
Filing in Welsh
Having a reasonable excuse accepted by HMRC
7. What is Gov.uk One Login?
It is a new government authentication system replacing older login methods, including Government Gateway.
8. Do I need an accountant for this transition?
While not mandatory, working with an accountant ensures:
Compliance
Accuracy
Avoidance of penalties
How We Can Help
At S & B Accountants Ltd, we support businesses with:
Corporation tax return filing
Software setup and migration
Record-keeping compliance
HMRC correspondence and amendments