An annual declaration is a document that all registered companies must provide, showing an overview of important (non-financial) information on the internal structure of the company.
All companies registered with Companies House are displayed in the public records and the purpose of the annual report is to confirm the relevant details of the company, i.e. the names, addresses and contact details of directors, secretaries and shareholders.
If you are the director or secretary of a registered company, it is your legal responsibility to ensure that the annual declaration is properly completed and filed.
Your annual declaration will include the following information:
- Company name
- Registered address (head office)
- SAIL address (this stands for "Single Alternative Inspection Location" - if your records are not kept at your registered address, you will need to provide details of the alternative location)
- Contact details of company officers
- Contact details of company secretary, if any
If your company owns shares, you'll also need to provide a "declaration of capital", which gives details of the shares, as well as the contact details of any shareholders.
Your annual return - as the name suggests - must be filed annually with Companies House. Every 12 months is the minimum requirement. However, you can return your information as many times as you like during the year. This is particularly useful for finding out if you need to make any changes to your company information that might affect the deadline. Rather than delaying your return, you can file your most recent information and, after any changes, you can then file a new return that will update Companies House with the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Regarding deadlines, your first return must be received by Companies House within 28 days of the anniversary date of your company's formation. All subsequent returns must be filed within 28 days of the date on which the last return was completed.
For further information:
https://www.gov.uk/prepare-file-annual-accounts-for-limited-company