What is an Annual Return?
This is a statutory form that every company must file with the Registrar at a particular time in the year. An Annual Return serves as a means of publicising information. The return collates much that should have been delivered for registration when the relevant transactions occurred, so that anybody conducting a search may find it unnecessary to search back beyond the latest annual return on the file. A return also enables some additional or more recent information to be obtained. Which general information must an Annual Return State? An annual return must state the full address of the company’s registered office, particulars of directors and secretary and its main activities. If the company has a share Capital, the company must give the particulars of share capital and shareholders. This enables much the same information to be obtained as that obtainable from the company’s membership register though as the return date. What is the consequence of failure to file the annual return? Fail
In order to meet ACCA’s practical experience requirements (PER), trainees are required to complete 36 months in a relevant role and demonstrate that they have achieved 13 performance objectives. As part of the PER, every trainee is required to submit an annual return – updating ACCA on the practical experience they have gained in the past 12 months. The annual return helps you and ACCA keep track of your progress towards becoming an ACCA member. We are then able to develop services and support to help your training and development.
The Annual Return is the snapshot of certain company information on a particular date (the legal return date or the ‘made-up’ date. It is separate from the company’s annual accounts. The Annual Return must contain: – The name of the company – The registered number – The type of company e.g. private or public – The registered office address of the company – The address where certain company registers are kept if not at the registered office – The principal business activities of the company – The name and address of the company secretary – The name, usual residential address, date of birth, nationality and business occupation of all the company directors – The date to which the annual return is made-up (the made-up date) If the company has share capital, the annual return must also contain: – The nominal value of total issued share capital – The names and addresses (if applicable) of shareholders and the number and type of shares they hold or transfer from other shareholders.
