On 5th November Parliament in UK approved changes in set fees for Companies House registration and information services.

The new fees will affect companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), European Economic Interest Groupings (EEIGs) and European Companies (Ses). The changes will become effective from 1st February 2005. Until that date the existing fees will remain valid.

Over the past year Companies House has undertaken a full review of its pricing framework and, as a result, has simplified and standardised its fee rates, particularly on the information side of the business. The result is that many of these fees havev been held at present levels or have been substantially reduced.

The fee payable on filing an Annual Return, if filed in hardcopy form, has been increased from £15 to £ 30. The fee remains at £15, if the Return is filed electronically. This distinction reflects the difference in handling costs.

The increasing use of its electronic information services, )where over 95% of its information is now dispensed electronically), has enabled Companies House to reduce many of the fees where information from its Register is provided in this way, (principally through CHD or WebCheck).

Fees levied by Companies House are calculated on the basis of recovery of the cost of providing the relevant service. This means that the fees set for one service are not set at a higher level to subsidise the fees levied for another.

Some noteworthy changes are as follows:

Company incorporation:
Electronic incorporations are REDUCED from £20 to £ 15, while paper incorporations remain at £20.
Same day incorporations and same day changes in company name are REDUCED from £80 to £50.
Fee payable on filing accounts, sent in by an overseas company, is INCREASED from £15 to £30.
Charge registration is INCREASED from £10 to £13.
LLP registration fees are REDUCED to the same level as those for the equivalent service for companies and a new same day registration service is INTRODUCED at £50.

Information:
Accounts, Annual Returns and company reports obtained through WebCheck REDUCED to £1.
Information printed out through CHD is STANDARDISED at £1 per item.
Information sent by post, fax or e-mail is STANDARISED at £3.
The price of many bulk products is SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED.

Certified Copies:
Certified copies of documents and certificates are REDUCED from £25 to £15.