Guide · UK limited companies · MicroBiz365
Filing reminders for side hustles and micro-businesses (UK Ltd)
If your side project runs through a limited company, it is still on the Companies House register — and you still have confirmation statement and annual accounts deadlines, whether you traded every week or hardly at all. This page is about keeping on top of that with as little admin as possible: one free reminder tool, one email habit you actually use, and fewer of those “I forgot I even had a limited company” moments.
· MicroBiz365 · About 5 min read
General information only — not legal, tax, or accounting advice.
Why a “quiet” company still needs a pulse
Even when trade is slow, you are still responsible for annual filings on a fixed rhythm. For side projects the risk is rarely deliberate neglect — it is simply that the Ltd drops out of mind while you are focused on your day job, clients, or family.
Dormant or “not really trading” is not the same as “no HMRC deadlines.” You may still need to file a Company Tax Return (and face late-filing penalties if you do not) until HMRC has agreed your company is dormant for Corporation Tax — see GOV.UK: dormant for Corporation Tax. If HMRC or your accountant gives you a return or payment date, put it in the reminder tool’s optional fields so it is not forgotten.
- One tool for register dates — look up once, confirm email once, then let reminders arrive.
- Two optional tax slots — for many small companies that is enough to log the next Corporation Tax payment and a VAT return date, without building a sprawling spreadsheet.
- One trusted adviser touchpoint — even a short year-end call can validate that what you typed for tax matches what HMRC expects.
When you get HMRC post, update the tool
Side hustles often meet tax through letters and online account deadlines rather than a full finance team. When something arrives with a “pay by” or “file by” date, open the tool and refresh the optional fields. That keeps Companies House nudges and tax nudges in the same email habit — see the full guide for why that matters for penalties.
Pair reminders with a light year-end ritual
Pick the same month each year to: re-run the lookup, skim the next confirmation statement / accounts window, and ask your accountant (if you have one) whether any tax scheme changed your dates. Reminders reduce surprise; they do not replace that human check.