If you are setting up a UK limited company for the first time, two names quickly become impossible to avoid: Companies House and HMRC. They are both government organisations, both deal with businesses, and both require companies to submit information. That is where the confusion often starts. The simplest way to remember the difference is this: Companies House deals mainly with your company’s legal identity and corporate records. HMRC deals mainly with your company’s tax obligations.

They are separate organisations with different responsibilities, deadlines and filing requirements. A UK company can therefore have obligations to both. Understanding the distinction is important because registering a company with Companies House does not, by itself, complete your tax responsibilities with HMRC.

What Is Companies House?

Companies House is the UK's official registrar of companies. It incorporates and dissolves limited companies, maintains the company register and makes required company information available to the public. Companies House is an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade.

When you form a UK limited company, Companies House is responsible for creating the company's formal corporate record. For example, imagine you establish GreenBridge Consulting Ltd. Companies House records information such as:

• The company's registered name
• Company registration number
• Registered office
• Directors
• Persons with significant control (PSCs)
• Shareholder and share capital information
• SIC codes
• Filing history
• Annual accounts and other corporate filings

Much of this information is publicly searchable. In practical terms, Companies House answers the question: "What is this company, who controls it, and what information has it officially filed?"

What Is HMRC?

HM Revenue & Customs, commonly known as HMRC, is the UK's tax authority. Its role includes administering and collecting taxes and managing tax-related obligations for individuals and businesses. For a limited company, HMRC can be responsible for matters including:

• Corporation Tax
• VAT
• PAYE and employer responsibilities
• National Insurance-related payroll obligations
• Certain other business taxes and duties
• Company Tax Returns
• Tax payments and related reporting

So, while Companies House is concerned primarily with the company's corporate registration and public record, HMRC is concerned primarily with its tax position. A useful mental model is: Companies House = company information and corporate compliance. HMRC = tax and revenue compliance

Companies House vs HMRC at a Glance

The two organisations are separate, but their systems can interact. HMRC's guidance explains that company registration information can be transferred through the Companies House link to create the relevant tax record.

What Does Companies House Do for a New Company?

Companies House becomes involved from the moment you incorporate your company.

1. It registers the company

When your incorporation application is accepted, Companies House creates the company's official record. The company receives a unique company registration number. This establishes the company as a legal entity separate from its owners.

2. It records directors and ownership information

Companies House records information about directors and people with significant control. This creates transparency around who is responsible for and controls a company.

3. It maintains the public register

Company information and documents can be searched online. That means a potential customer, investor, supplier or business partner can investigate a company's basic corporate information.

4. It receives annual and other statutory filings

Companies have continuing filing responsibilities. For example, every company must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, including dormant and non-trading companies. The statement confirms that Companies House's information about the company remains correct. Companies also generally need to file annual accounts, even when they are dormant or not trading.

What Does HMRC Do for a New Company?

HMRC becomes important when the company has tax responsibilities. A limited company is a separate taxpayer from its shareholders and directors. Depending on what the company does, its responsibilities may include Corporation Tax, VAT and payroll.

Corporation Tax

Corporation Tax is charged on taxable profits of companies within the UK Corporation Tax regime. For a trading limited company, HMRC needs information about the company's taxable profits so the correct Corporation Tax liability can be calculated. The company normally does this through its Company Tax Return and associated tax calculations.

The important distinction is that filing accounts with Companies House and filing a Company Tax Return with HMRC are not automatically the same thing. The government explains that a private limited company generally needs to prepare annual accounts and a Company Tax Return after its financial year, with separate filing deadlines.

VAT

VAT is also administered by HMRC. A company may need to register for VAT depending on its taxable turnover and circumstances, or may choose voluntary registration where permitted. VAT registration is therefore a tax matter rather than a Companies House registration.

PAYE and payroll

If your company employs people or pays directors through payroll, HMRC may need to receive payroll information through a PAYE scheme. Companies House does not operate your payroll.

Does Registering With Companies House Automatically Register You With HMRC?

Not for every tax obligation. This is one of the most important distinctions for new company owners. When you incorporate a company, Companies House creates its corporate record. Tax obligations are handled separately by HMRC.

For Corporation Tax, the process has changed in recent years, and some companies incorporated through certain routes may have information passed to HMRC automatically. However, directors should not assume that incorporation means every HMRC requirement has been completed.

HMRC's current guidance says companies can add Corporation Tax services to their business tax account after registering with Companies House, particularly when they start doing business. A company should therefore establish its tax position promptly after incorporation and keep track of what it needs to register and file.

Companies House Filing vs HMRC Filing

The difference becomes much clearer when you look at the documents each organisation receives.

Companies House filings

Common Companies House obligations include:

Confirmation statement

The confirmation statement confirms that key information held by Companies House is up to date. It can involve information such as directors, PSCs, registered office details, share capital and SIC codes. Every company must file one at least once a year.

Annual accounts

Companies generally have to file annual accounts with Companies House. The exact accounts requirements depend on factors including company size and circumstances.

Changes to company information

Changes involving directors, PSCs and other corporate information may need to be reported to Companies House.

HMRC Filings

HMRC filings depend heavily on the company's activities.

Company Tax Return

A company within the Corporation Tax regime generally needs to file a Company Tax Return. This reports the company's tax position to HMRC.

Corporation Tax payment

Filing a tax return and paying Corporation Tax are related but separate responsibilities. A company can have a filing deadline and a payment deadline that are not identical. For many companies, Corporation Tax is due nine months and one day after the end of the accounting period for Corporation Tax, while the Company Tax Return is generally due 12 months after the end of that accounting period.

VAT returns

VAT-registered businesses must submit VAT returns and pay any VAT due according to their VAT obligations.

PAYE reporting

Employers may have to submit payroll information to HMRC.

Why You Need to Deal With Both

Consider a simple example. Aisha starts a UK marketing company in January. She incorporates Aisha Digital Ltd through Companies House. At this point, she has created the corporate entity. But she then begins:

• Signing client contracts
• Invoicing customers
• Paying software subscriptions
• Paying herself
• Hiring an employee
• Generating taxable profits

Her responsibilities now extend beyond Companies House. She may have: Companies House obligations

• Confirmation statement
• Annual accounts
• Updates to company information

HMRC obligations

• Corporation Tax
• Company Tax Return
• PAYE
• VAT, if applicable

The mistake would be to assume that because the company has been successfully incorporated, the business is fully compliant. It isn't necessarily.

Are Companies House Accounts the Same as HMRC Tax Returns?

No. This is one of the most common points of confusion. Companies House receives statutory accounts. HMRC receives tax information through the Corporation Tax system. The figures are connected, but the purposes are different. Companies House accounts are part of the company's public corporate record. A Company Tax Return is used by HMRC to establish the company's Corporation Tax position.

The government's guidance confirms that companies must meet filing requirements for both Companies House and HMRC, although accounts and tax returns can in some circumstances be prepared and filed using integrated software or professional services. This is one reason many companies use an accountant: the accountant can help reconcile the company's financial records with both corporate reporting and tax reporting requirements.

What Happens If Your Company Is Dormant?

"Dormant" can cause another layer of confusion because Companies House and HMRC can use the concept differently. A company may be dormant for Corporation Tax purposes because it has not started trading or has stopped trading and has no other income. HMRC gives examples of activities that can count as trading, including buying, selling, renting property, advertising, employing someone or receiving interest.

Meanwhile, Companies House has its own definition of dormancy based on significant transactions. Importantly, being dormant does not mean the company has no filing responsibilities. A dormant company generally still needs to file its confirmation statement and annual accounts with Companies House. This is why a founder should never simply assume: "My company isn't trading, so I don't have to do anything." The correct obligations depend on the company's circumstances and which organisation is being dealt with.

Which One Should You Contact?

A simple rule can help.

Contact Companies House for questions about:

• Company incorporation
• Company name
• Company number
• Registered office
• Directors
• PSC information
• Confirmation statements
• Company accounts
• Filing company information
• Dissolution and restoration

Contact HMRC for questions about:

• Corporation Tax
• Company Tax Returns
• VAT
• PAYE
• Payroll tax
• Tax payments
• Tax registration
• Tax treatment of business transactions

If the issue is about who the company legally is, think Companies House. If it is about how the company's activities are taxed, think HMRC.

What About International Founders?

The distinction is especially important for overseas entrepreneurs establishing UK companies. A founder based in Nigeria, India, the UAE, the United States or elsewhere might incorporate a UK company through Companies House. That does not mean the founder has automatically dealt with every UK tax issue. International businesses may need to consider:

• UK Corporation Tax
• UK VAT
• Tax residence
• Permanent establishment issues
• Cross-border transactions
• Transfer pricing
• Withholding tax
• Personal tax
• Payroll
• Double-taxation agreements
• Banking and payment arrangements

The answer can vary substantially depending on where the owners live, where the company is managed and where business activities actually take place. A UK company is therefore not a substitute for proper international tax advice. For global founders, IncorpUK can be relevant as a UK company formation and management platform, but company formation should be treated as one part of a wider legal, accounting and tax setup.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Thinking Companies House collects Corporation Tax

It doesn't. HMRC administers Corporation Tax.

Mistake 2: Assuming incorporation completes tax registration

Incorporation and tax compliance are separate processes.

Mistake 3: Filing only with Companies House

A company may have HMRC obligations even when its Companies House filings are up to date.

Mistake 4: Confusing annual accounts with a Company Tax Return

They serve different purposes and may have different deadlines.

Mistake 5: Ignoring deadlines because the company has made little money

Low revenue, or even no trading does not automatically eliminate every statutory obligation.

Mistake 6: Assuming an accountant makes the director's responsibilities disappear

An accountant can prepare and submit filings on your behalf, but directors remain responsible for the company's statutory compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Companies House the same as HMRC?

No. Companies House is the UK's company registrar, while HMRC is the UK's tax authority. Companies House focuses primarily on company registration and corporate information; HMRC administers taxes and tax-related obligations.

Do I register my company with Companies House or HMRC?

A UK limited company is incorporated through Companies House. It may then have separate tax registrations and filing obligations with HMRC depending on its activities and circumstances.

Do Companies House and HMRC share information?

Yes. Their systems are connected for certain purposes. HMRC guidance confirms that Companies House registration data can be used to create tax records. However, this does not mean every tax obligation is automatically completed when a company is incorporated.

Do I file annual accounts with HMRC?

Annual statutory accounts are filed with Companies House. HMRC separately receives the Company's Tax Return and tax-related information. The two processes are related but not identical.

Does every UK company have to file a confirmation statement?

Yes. Every company, including dormant and non-trading companies, must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months.

Does a dormant company still have to file with Companies House?

Yes. Dormant companies generally still have to file annual accounts and a confirmation statement with Companies House.

Who deals with VAT: Companies House or HMRC?

HMRC. VAT registration, VAT returns and VAT payments are tax matters administered by HMRC.

Who deals with company directors and PSCs?

Companies House records and maintains this corporate information as part of the public company register.

Can an accountant deal with both Companies House and HMRC?

Yes. An accountant or tax adviser can often prepare and submit filings to both organisations on a company's behalf. However, the company directors remain responsible for ensuring that the company's legal and tax obligations are properly met.

Conclusion: Companies House and HMRC Have Different Jobs

The easiest way to remember the difference between Companies House and HMRC is to separate corporate identity from taxation. Companies House establishes and maintains the company's official corporate record. HMRC administers the company's tax responsibilities.

A UK limited company may therefore have obligations to both organisations throughout its life. For a new founder, the practical approach is simple: incorporate correctly, keep Companies House information up to date, understand your HMRC tax obligations, maintain accurate financial records and track each organisation's deadlines separately.

Getting that distinction right from the beginning can prevent one of the most common problems faced by new UK companies: assuming that because the company has been registered, everything else has already been taken care of.