Limited company guide
Quick answer
A First Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off means Companies House intends to remove your limited company from the register, usually because accounts or the confirmation statement are overdue. It is a warning, not the end. File every overdue document quickly and the action is normally discontinued. If you do nothing, the company is dissolved, its bank account is frozen and its assets pass to the Crown. — LimitedCompany.Accountants, ICAEW-regulated accountants for UK limited companies.
What a First Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off means for a UK limited company, how long you have, how to get the action discontinued, and the new online-only objection rule from 1 December 2026.
Last updated 8 November 2026. Official references are listed below.
A First Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off means Companies House intends to remove your limited company from the register, usually because accounts or the confirmation statement are overdue. It is a warning, not the end. File every overdue document quickly and the action is normally discontinued. If you do nothing, the company is dissolved, its bank account is frozen and its assets pass to the Crown.
Why does Companies House start compulsory strike-off?
Where will I see the notice?
How long do I have?
How can I stop a compulsory strike-off?
What do ‘suspended’ and ‘discontinued’ mean?
Who can object to a strike-off, and how?
What happens if my company is struck off?
How can I get my company back on track?
The registrar starts the process when it has reason to believe a company is no longer carrying on business. The most common triggers are:
• Overdue annual accounts
• An overdue confirmation statement
• No directors on the register
• Unanswered letters sent to the registered office
Companies House usually writes to the registered office first. If there is no response, the notice is published in The Gazette and appears on the company's public filing history, where customers, lenders and credit agencies can see it.
The notice gives a strike-off date, normally 2 months from the date of the notice (28 days in some cases, such as a default registered address). The clock runs from publication, not from when you notice it, and preparing two years of overdue accounts takes real time. Treat it as urgent.
1. Check the register. Look at the company's filing history to see exactly what is overdue.
2. File everything missing. Accounts first, then the confirmation statement, then any director, PSC or address updates. A rejected filing does not count, so fix and resend it straight away.
3. Reply to Companies House letters and keep the acceptance emails.
4. Deal with penalties separately. Paying or appealing a late filing penalty does not file the accounts or stop the strike-off.
Once the filings are accepted, the filing history usually shows ‘Compulsory strike-off action has been discontinued’.
Discontinued means the registrar has stopped the action, usually because the overdue filings arrived. Suspended means it is paused, often because someone objected or the company asked for more time. A suspension is not a fix: the action can restart if the filings still are not made.
Creditors, shareholders and other interested parties can object with evidence less than 6 months old, such as recent invoices or a demand letter. From 1 December 2026, objections for limited companies must be made through Companies House's online service; email objections are no longer accepted.
The company is dissolved when the final Gazette notice is published. Its bank account is frozen, any assets belong to the Crown, and directors may face restoration costs and questions about unpaid tax. Restoring a company is possible but slower and more expensive than filing on time.
If your company has a First Gazette notice, LimitedCompany.Accountants can prepare overdue accounts and confirmation statements fast and keep you compliant afterwards with our Business-as-a-Service accounting for UK limited companies. Get a quote or book a call at https://limitedcompany.accountants, call 020 3441 1258 or email hello@limitedcompany.accountants (12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ).
Primary references
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Frequently asked
Yes, the company exists until the strike-off date. But customers and banks can see the notice, so file quickly.
No. Only filing the overdue documents (or an accepted objection) stops or pauses the action.
Usually soon after Companies House accepts the missing filings, though processing times vary.
Yes. An accountant can prepare and file the overdue accounts and confirmation statement, and set up reminders so it does not happen again.
Keep bank statements, sales and platform reports, purchase invoices, payroll records, VAT workings, finance agreements and Companies House correspondence. We confirm the exact list at onboarding and identify gaps before a filing deadline becomes urgent.
The fee depends on transaction volume, record quality, VAT and payroll requirements, historic catch-up and the level of reporting needed. We agree a fixed scope and price before technical work starts, with published packages available on our fees page.
Yes. We request professional clearance, collect the prior records and authorities, check the next Companies House and HMRC deadlines, and give you one clear handover list. The process is normally completed remotely.
Yes. We work through secure cloud records, scheduled reviews and digital approvals, while keeping a named team available by phone, video call and email. Clients can also visit our Morden office by appointment.
We regularly work with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage and connected sales or expense apps. The right setup depends on transaction volume, integrations and the reports you need, not simply the software brand.
The relevant calendar may include annual accounts, Corporation Tax payment and return dates, confirmation statements, VAT returns, payroll submissions and Self Assessment. We map the dates from your company year end and registrations.
Included approach
Check the current rules
Deadlines, thresholds and filing rules change. GOV.UK and Companies House publish the current statutory position; advice should then be applied to your company’s circumstances.
Two ways to work with us
Everything is fixed price and agreed before we start. Prices are the same whether you are in London, Morden, Croydon or anywhere else in the UK.
All-inclusive packages
One fee covering your company’s filing calendar, with the price based on your turnover band.
One-off online filing
No monthly commitment. Add what you need to one basket and pay by card, with government fees shown separately at cost.
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