Glossary
The terms you meet when filing for a UK limited company, each defined in a few lines with its source, and a link to the guide that explains it in full.
A
- Accounting reference date
- The last day of a company’s financial year, as Companies House records it. Its accounts deadlines are counted from it.
- ACSP (authorised corporate service provider)
- An accountant, solicitor or other AML-supervised business registered with Companies House to verify identities for it. Also called an authorised agent.
- Authentication code
- A 6-character code Companies House issues to each company and posts to its registered office. It authorises the company’s online filings.
C
- CT600 (Company Tax Return)
- The form a company files with HMRC for each Corporation Tax accounting period, sent with its accounts and tax computation in iXBRL through software.
D
- DS01 (voluntary strike-off)
- The Companies House form a company’s directors use to apply to have it struck off and dissolved. It costs £13 online or £18 on paper.
I
- iXBRL
- Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language, the tagged format HMRC requires for the accounts and computations sent with a Company Tax Return.
M
- Micro-entity
- A very small company that meets 2 of 3 limits (turnover £1 million, balance sheet £500,000, 10 employees) and can file simpler accounts.
N
- Notice to deliver
- HMRC’s notice that a company must file a Company Tax Return for a period. Without one, a company doesn’t file a CT600, but it must still file its accounts.
P
- Participator
- A shareholder or other person with a stake in a close company. A loan from the company to a participator can trigger s455 tax.
- Person with significant control (PSC)
- Someone who owns or controls a company, usually through more than 25% of its shares or votes. Every company records its PSCs at Companies House.
U
- UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference)
- The 10-digit tax reference HMRC gives a company when it is set up, and a person when they register for Self Assessment.