Companies House has confirmed another round of fee increases, with the cost of incorporating a company set to double and several other digital filing fees rising from 1 February 2026. These changes will affect private limited companies, LLPs, charitable companies and overseas entities — essentially anyone registered or registering via Companies House.

This update follows the May 2024 fee review, where the digital incorporation fee jumped from £12 to £50 — the first rise in nearly a decade. While UK company registration is still relatively affordable by international standards, this new round of increases will be more noticeable for smaller companies and start-ups.

What’s Changing?

Here are the key digital filing fee changes coming in February 2026:

Paper filing fees are also increasing significantly, which is another nudge to keep everything online where possible.

Why Are Fees Increasing?

These increases are part of a broader plan to modernise company oversight and reduce fraud. Companies House is investing in improved systems, better identity checks, and enhanced enforcement powers.

Key developments include:

• Compulsory identity verification for directors (rolling out from 18 November 2025/2026 depending on the implementation timeline)

• More robust investigation tools to identify fraudulent or misleading company filings

• The ability to query and remove incorrect information from the register

In short: the register is becoming harder to abuse, and safer for legitimate businesses to operate within.

How This Affects Small Businesses

For most small companies, this means:

• Annual running costs will rise slightly (especially the confirmation statement fee)

• It’s now more important to stay on top of filing deadlines, because late or corrective filings will cost more

• Incorporation will cost more upfront, but ongoing digital filing is still the most cost-effective route

The reduction in the voluntary strike-off fee is a small positive — it will be cheaper to close a dormant or unused company.

Final Thoughts

While nobody loves seeing admin costs go up, these changes aren’t just price rises for the sake of it. They’re funding a much-needed clean-up of the register — something that ultimately protects honest businesses from fraud, identity misuse, and misleading competitors.

Think of this as: A small increase now, to help build a healthier business environment long-term.

If you already handle your filings digitally and keep your company records up to date, the practical impact should be manageable — just make sure to budget for the higher confirmation statement fee from 2026.

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Categories: Insights