Inform Direct takes advantage of provisions set out in section 444 of the Companies Act 2006 allowing micro-entities to file ‘filleted’ accounts. By ‘filleted’ we mean that any information that is not required to be reported on the public register is removed. The micro-entity accounts filed with Companies House therefore consist of:
- Cover page – displaying the company name and registered number and the financial period covered by the accounts.
- Simple balance sheet – this must include the name and signature of the director authorising the accounts together with a statement that the accounts have been prepared in accordance with micro-entity provisions.
- Footnotes to the balance sheet – there are certain required details (known as the ‘minimum accounting items’) that must be included as footnotes to the balance sheet if they apply. These items are:
- Average number of employees – all companies must disclose this number.
- Details of any advances, credits and guarantees with directors.
- Details of any financial commitments, guarantees and contingencies.
- Details of any off-balance sheet arrangements.
- Company details – a note on the balance sheet must disclose the part of the United Kingdom in which the company is registered; whether it is a public or private company and whether limited by shares or by guarantee; the registered office address and where relevant the fact that the company is in the process of being wound up.
For most micro-entities therefore the accounts that must be filed with Companies House consist of just two or three pages.
What about micro-entity accounts prepared for shareholders?
Whilst the majority of companies prefer to file the minimum amount of information for the public register, they often want to provide their shareholders/members and other stakeholders with more detail. Indeed, additional information is often required by institutions providing finance to the company. Inform Direct allows this flexibility. In addition to the information filed on the public register a company can choose to include any, or all, of the following extra pages in the micro-entity accounts they prepare for shareholders/members:
- Contents page
- Company information page – detailing directors names, company number, registered office address, name and address of auditors and bank (if required).
- Directors’ report – this is not a statutory requirement for micro-entity accounts but many companies choose to include one in the accounts they prepare for shareholders. It provides details of the state of the company and its compliance with financial and accounting standards. It is approved by the board of directors and signed on their behalf by one or two directors of the company. Inform Direct provides a compliant template directors’ report.
- Accountants’ report - prepared by the company’s accountants, this report confirms that the accounts have been prepared from the underlying books and records. This is not required for micro-entities but some choose to include it in the accounts prepared for shareholders.
- Income statement - this summarises the company’s trading for the period. It shows the total income earned and expenses incurred and whether the company earned a profit/surplus or made a loss/deficit. Many companies choose to include this in the micro-entity accounts that they prepare for shareholders and other stakeholders in the company.