Company Secretarial Service

A company secretarial service provides ongoing administrative support for the statutory records and company changes that a UK limited company must manage. Form My Company’s Company Secretarial Service includes up to 10 company secretarial changes per year, confirmation statement filing, share transfers and new share issues, officer changes, company name changes, statutory register updates and dissolution assistance, with annual renewal available.

For directors, shareholders and founders, company administration is not merely paperwork. Changes to directors, company officers, shareholdings and the company name can affect the information held by Companies House and the statutory records the company must maintain. This service is designed to provide practical support across these recurring company secretarial requirements while giving business owners a clear route to manage company changes during the year.

What is a company secretarial service?

Company secretarial work concerns the legal administration of a company after incorporation. It can include maintaining statutory registers, preparing and filing relevant company changes, keeping company information organised and helping directors meet recurring filing responsibilities.

A company secretary is not compulsory for a private limited company, but the underlying administrative obligations still apply. Directors remain responsible for ensuring that company information, records and filings are accurate and up to date. Using a managed company secretarial service can make it easier to handle changes consistently rather than dealing with each event as an isolated administrative task.

This service is relevant where a company expects changes during the year, such as appointing a director, processing a resignation, issuing shares to an investor, transferring shares between shareholders or changing its registered name. It can also support companies that want a more structured approach to annual compliance and record keeping.

For a broader explanation of the function and scope of ongoing company administration, see Form My Company’s guide to company secretarial services in the UK. Businesses with a one-off requirement may instead consider the separate Company Services options available through Form My Company.

What is included?

The Company Secretarial Service includes the following features. Each element helps address a different type of company change or compliance task that may arise after a company has been formed.

Up to 10 company secretarial changes per year

The service includes support for up to 10 company secretarial changes in each year of the service. This gives companies a defined allowance for managing eligible changes without needing to arrange a separate service every time a routine administrative event occurs.

The allowance can be particularly useful for a company with changing ownership, evolving management or regular corporate administration. For example, a growing business may appoint an additional director, issue new shares, update statutory registers and file its confirmation statement within the same year. These are separate events, and each should be handled carefully in the company’s records and, where required, through the appropriate filing process.

Before requesting a change, directors should ensure that the company has the necessary approvals and supporting information. The service can assist with the administrative steps, but it does not remove the need for the company to make valid internal decisions in accordance with its articles of association and applicable law.

Confirmation Statement filing included

The annual confirmation statement filing is included in the service. A confirmation statement is the process through which a company confirms that the information held about it is correct and up to date.

Every company, including dormant and non-trading companies, must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months. Before filing, changes to certain information, including directors, people with significant control and the registered office, must be reported separately; the confirmation statement is then used to review and confirm the company’s records. GOV.UK’s confirmation statement guidance explains these requirements and confirms that an online confirmation statement carries a £50 annual filing fee.

This inclusion is useful for companies that want annual filing to form part of an ongoing administration arrangement. It is separate from annual accounts, which remain a different statutory obligation. If the company is dormant, Form My Company also offers a dedicated File Accounts for Dormant Companies service for assistance with that specific filing requirement.

Transfer and issue of new shares

The service includes support with the transfer of existing shares and the issue of new shares. These transactions can change who owns the company, how much of it each shareholder owns and, in some cases, which individuals qualify as people with significant control.

A share transfer generally involves moving existing shares from one holder to another. A new share issue, also called an allotment, creates and allocates additional shares. These are different corporate events and may require different company records, approvals and filings. The company’s articles of association, shareholder arrangements and the nature of the transaction should be considered before the process begins.

Accurate statutory records are particularly important when ownership changes. A company should ensure that its register of members and other relevant registers reflect the transaction. Depending on the change, Companies House information may also need to be updated. The PSC Register service may be relevant where a change in ownership affects the company’s people with significant control information.

Officer appointments and resignations

The Company Secretarial Service covers officer appointments and resignations. This can include changes involving directors and, where applicable, a company secretary or other relevant officer position.

When a director joins or leaves a company, the company should deal with the change properly in its internal records and make any required notification to Companies House. Directors should also consider who has authority to make the appointment, whether the company’s articles require a particular approval process and whether the change affects banking, contracts, tax registrations or internal decision-making.

Companies seeking a one-off change rather than year-round support can use Form My Company’s Director Appointment or Director Resignation services. Where both changes are needed as part of the same management transition, the Director Appointment & Resignation Bundle may also be relevant.

Company name changes

The service includes assistance with company name changes. A company may change its registered name for reasons such as rebranding, a shift in business focus, a group restructure or a need to distinguish itself more clearly in the market.

A company name change should be considered carefully before it is filed. The company must use a name that complies with the relevant naming rules, and the proposed name should be checked for potential conflicts with existing company names, trade marks and branding. A registered company name is not, by itself, the same thing as trade mark protection.

Once a name change has been completed, the business may need to update more than its Companies House record. Directors should review letterheads, invoices, website information, contracts, bank details, domain names, tax registrations and marketing materials to make sure that the company is represented correctly. Keeping statutory records aligned with the new name is an important part of the administrative process.

Updates to statutory registers

The service includes updates to statutory registers. Statutory registers are the company’s formal internal records, which may include registers relating to members, directors, secretaries and people with significant control.

These records matter because Companies House filings do not replace the company’s own duty to maintain proper internal registers. When an officer is appointed or resigns, shares are issued or transferred, or PSC information changes, the company’s records should be updated to reflect the underlying event accurately.

Maintaining organised registers also helps when the company needs to verify ownership, prepare for an investment, respond to a due-diligence request or confirm information before submitting its annual confirmation statement. For companies that need specific documentary support, the Supplementary Company Documents service may be useful alongside ongoing secretarial administration.

Company dissolution assistance

The service includes company dissolution assistance. Dissolution is the process through which a company is removed from the register and ceases to exist as a legal entity.

Dissolution is not simply a way to stop trading. Before applying to strike off a company, directors should consider the company’s liabilities, assets, contractual obligations, tax position, employees and any objections that could arise. A company must meet the conditions for voluntary strike-off, and directors should ensure that the decision is appropriate for the company’s circumstances.

GOV.UK provides guidance on closing a limited company, including the difference between applying to strike off a solvent company and using a formal insolvency process where the company cannot pay its debts. If a company has complex debts, disputes or insolvency concerns, directors should seek appropriate professional advice before progressing with dissolution.

Annual renewal available

Annual renewal is available for businesses that want to continue receiving company secretarial support beyond the initial service period. Renewing enables the company to retain access to the yearly allowance of up to 10 company secretarial changes and the included confirmation statement filing.

Ongoing support can be particularly appropriate for companies with active shareholdings, multiple directors, frequent governance changes or a preference for maintaining company records through a consistent administrative process. Before renewing, a company should review whether its anticipated changes and filing needs remain suited to the service.

Pricing and service scope

No price is listed within the package features provided. The final cost should therefore be confirmed with Form My Company before purchase or renewal.

The package features specify that the service includes up to 10 company secretarial changes per year and confirmation statement filing. They do not state whether government filing fees, third-party charges, professional advice or work outside the stated annual allowance are included. Where a confirmation statement is filed online, Companies House states that the annual filing fee is £50.

The exact work required for a share issue, transfer, officer change, company name change or dissolution request can depend on the company’s circumstances. It is sensible to provide complete and accurate information at the outset so the required company secretarial work can be identified correctly.

Staying compliant

Company secretarial support helps organise administrative work, but directors remain responsible for the company’s statutory obligations. A company should not wait until its annual confirmation statement is due before addressing changes that require separate notification or updating its internal records.

Good company administration involves maintaining accurate records throughout the year. This means recording changes when they occur, retaining supporting documents, checking that statutory registers match the company’s current position and reviewing Companies House information before annual filings are made.

A practical compliance routine can include:

• Recording director, shareholder and ownership changes as soon as they are approved.

• Keeping statutory registers aligned with the underlying company decisions.

• Reviewing PSC information whenever ownership or control changes.

• Checking company details before the confirmation statement is filed.

• Keeping a record of company decisions and relevant supporting documents.

• Reviewing whether the company continues to meet its filing and reporting obligations.

Where a company needs help with the annual confirmation statement as a standalone task, Form My Company also provides a File a Confirmation Statement service. A company that is hiring employees may separately need PAYE Registration Assistance, while businesses approaching the relevant tax requirements may consider VAT Registration Assistance.

Who this service is for

This service is suited to UK companies that need recurring support with their corporate administration rather than a single filing or isolated change. It can be useful for both established companies and newer businesses that expect their structure to develop during the year.

It may be appropriate for:

• Companies with more than one director, shareholder or person with significant control.

• Businesses planning to issue shares, transfer shares or bring in an investor.

• Companies expecting management changes during the year.

• Founders who want their annual confirmation statement included within an ongoing service.

• Businesses that want help keeping statutory registers updated.

• Companies considering a name change, restructuring or voluntary dissolution.

• Directors who prefer a defined annual allowance for company secretarial changes.

The service is not a substitute for legal, tax, accounting or insolvency advice. Where a proposed transaction is complex, involves shareholder disputes, affects tax treatment or raises questions about insolvency, specialist advice may be necessary before the administrative work proceeds.

What happens after you buy

1. Form My Company will collect the company information and details relevant to the requested company secretarial work.

2. The company should provide accurate instructions and any necessary supporting information, such as proposed officer details, share information, internal approvals or company name choices.

3. Form My Company will assist with the relevant company secretarial change within the service scope, including the corresponding statutory-register update where applicable.

4. For the annual confirmation statement, the company’s details should be reviewed so that relevant changes are addressed before the statement is filed.

5. The company should keep its own records and promptly notify Form My Company of future changes during the service year.

6. At the end of the service period, annual renewal is available for companies that wish to continue receiving the included support.

Why choose Form My Company

Form My Company’s Company Secretarial Service brings several ongoing administrative requirements into one defined service. Rather than arranging separate support for each expected change, companies can use the annual allowance for up to 10 company secretarial changes and receive confirmation statement filing as part of the package.

The service covers a practical range of events that frequently arise during the life of a company: changes to officers, ownership updates, new share issues, share transfers, statutory register maintenance, company name changes and dissolution assistance. This makes it suitable for directors who want continuity between a company event, its internal records and its relevant filing requirements.

The focus is on helping a company manage its corporate administration clearly and consistently. By keeping records current and addressing changes as they occur, directors can maintain a better foundation for annual compliance, ownership clarity and future business decisions.