When the Companies House late-accounts penalty doubles (successive years)
For private companies and LLPs, Companies House publishes automatic late-accounts penalties of £150 / £375 / £750 / £1,500 depending on how late the accounts are. If accounts were also late in the previous year, those amounts can double (£150→£300, up to £1,500→£3,000). Public company bands are higher and are not understated here.
Figures below follow GOV.UK late filing penalties (guidance updated 16 January 2026). They are estimates for planning — not legal advice. Always verify on GOV.UK before acting.
Private company / LLP bands (single year vs doubled)
| How late | Single year | If doubled (successive late years) |
|---|---|---|
| Not more than 1 month | £150 | £300 |
| More than 1–3 months | £375 | £750 |
| More than 3–6 months | £750 | £1,500 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 | £3,000 |
Why it matters on a 30–120 client list
Import your company numbers. See every accounts and confirmation-statement deadline — and the Companies House late-accounts penalty in pounds — before you get the letter. On a practice list, one successive-year double can turn a quiet £150 slip into £300 — or stack across clients. Dueboard shows illustrative late-accounts £ from GOV.UK bands so you can scan exposure before the letter; it does not auto-apply a double flag unless an honest prior-late signal is clear from public data.
What doubling does not mean
- No automatic CS01 £ fine ladder — confirmation statements stay dates only.
- Free Companies House reminders remain useful — register on GOV.UK.
- Dueboard is not unique versus FastUK, CHWatch or CoHoWatch — see /compare.
Practice checklist
- Import the client company numbers you already keep.
- Scan accounts due dates and late-accounts £ exposure on the board.
- Treat CS01 as chase dates only — not an accounts-style automatic fine.
- Keep free Companies House reminders on; verify doubles on GOV.UK when in doubt.
Related: late accounts penalty calculator.
Try free for 3 companies to see late-accounts £ exposure across a small list — then verify any successive-year doubling on GOV.UK before advising clients.