The Accounting Reference Date (ARD), also known as the reporting date, signifies the end of an accounting reference period, such as a financial year, for a company. It is essential for preparing financial statements and other required reports.
Annual accounts, also known as annual reports, are comprehensive financial statements of an organization typically published annually and required by law for incorporated bodies in the UK.
A Community Interest Company (CIC) is a type of limited company registered in the UK under the Companies (Audit, Investigations, and Community Enterprise) Act 2004. These companies focus on social objectives and ensure their assets are used for the community's benefit.
Companies House is the official registrar of companies in the UK, handling the incorporation, administration, and dissolution of companies. It maintains records on corporate details including accounts, annual returns, prospectuses, memoranda, articles of association, directors, secretaries, registered office, certain company charges, and notices of liquidation.
A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) combines the benefits of traditional partnerships with limited liability. It provides flexibility in business operation while offering liability protection similar to corporations.
A micro-entity is a very small company that meets specific criteria for turnover, net worth, and number of employees, allowing it to present simplified annual accounts under certain regulatory frameworks.
Published accounts refer to the financial statements of organizations made available to the public in accordance with legal requirements. In the UK, these often relate to limited companies and include documents provided to shareholders and filed with the Registrar of Companies at Companies House, Cardiff.
