Filing Accounts
Designated members have a personal responsibility to make information about the structure, management and activities of their limited liability partnership
available both to the members of the limited liability partnership and to the general public. This will include accounts.
A limited liability partnership's first accounts must start on the day of incorporation. The first financial year must end on the 'accounting reference date'
or a date up to seven days either side of this date (see question 3). Subsequent accounts start on the day following the year-end date of the previous
accounts. They end on the next 'accounting reference date' or a date up to seven days either side.
The accounting reference date (ARD) is the date in each year to which accounts will be drawn up. The date depends on the date of incorporation
as it is the last day of the month in which the anniversary of incorporation falls. For example, if your limited liability partnership is incorporated on 2 July
this year, the accounting reference date will be 31 July, and its first financial year must end on 31 July next year (or within seven days of that date).
You can change the ARD it by sending Form LLP225 to the Registrar. You must do this during the accounting period affected by the change or during
the period allowed for delivering the associated accounts to us.
The first accounts of a limited liability partnership must be delivered:
within 10 months of the end of the accounting reference period; or
if the accounting reference period is more than 12 months, within 22 months of the date of incorporation, or three months from the end of the
accounting reference period, whichever is longer.
The following information is required by Companies House, using the relevant form , by the stated date:
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Every limited liability partnership must deliver an annual return to Companies House at least once every 12 months. It has 28 days from the date to which the
return is made up to do this.
The information that is submitted will be added to the LLp's record and will be available for public inspection.
If your accounts are delivered late, there is an automatic civil penalty for late filing. This is between £100 and £1,000.
In addition, designated members may be prosecuted for not filing certain documents. If convicted, they will have a criminal record and be liable for a
fine of up to £5,000 for each offence. In some cases, they could also be disqualified from being a designated member or company director taking part
in the management of a limited liability partnership or company for up to five years.
Limited liability partnerships that have not traded or otherwise carried on business for at least three months may apply to the Registrar to be struck
off the register. For information on this, and formal insolvency proceedings, see our booklets 'Limited Liability Partnerships Winding-Up' or, for limited
liability partnerships registered in Scotland, 'Limited Liability Partnerships Winding-Up (Scotland)'.
Changes of members and designated members, within 14 days. For appointments use Form LLP288a, for resignations use Form LLP288b, and for changes of designation use Form LLP8.
-Change of members' and designated members' personal details, within 28 days using form LLP288c
-Register and debenture holders.
-Details of any mortgage or charge created by the limited liability partnership, within 21 days.
-A change of registered office, within 14 days. Use Form LLP287. The change becomes legally effective only when we have registered the form.