The Companies Act 2006 has led to a number of changes in accounting requirements for private companies, chief amongst which are the removal of the need to hold an annual general meeting and the change in the filing deadline to nine months after their financial year end. Public companies must file their accounts with the Registrar of Companies within six months of the year end and listed companies within four months.
Companies which do not hold annual general meetings must send out to members annual accounts, or summary financial statements if appropriate, by the time these are due to be filed with the Registrar.
Other important changes are the removal of the option not to prepare group accounts for medium-sized groups and a new requirement that medium-sized companies must disclose their turnover. There is, however, no need for an analysis of turnover.