Directors’ Report Requirement to Be Removed

Talk to an expert

As part of its move to reduce ‘red tape’ and aid business growth, the government has announced plans to remove the requirement for companies to include a directors’ report as part of their annual accounts.


Micro-entities are already exempted from the requirement to include a directors’ report in their accounts; however, it is intended that the requirement will be removed for all companies. It is estimated that this will affect approximately 440,000 companies.


Medium-sized private companies will also be exempted from the requirement to prepare a strategic report as part of their annual report and accounts.


Wholly-owned subsidiaries will also be exempted from preparing a strategic report, provided their disclosures are included in the UK parent company’s annual report and accounts.


Estimates suggest that these changes could save UK businesses in the region of £230 million each year, and legislation to bring about these changes will be introduced as soon as possible.


See: https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/oct-2025/directors-reports-to-be-scrapped-and-more-companies-exempt-from-strategic-reports

July 30, 2026
HMRC launch Advance Tax Certainty Service for major investment projects

A first-of-its-kind service for the UK has been launched to provide tax certainty to businesses planning to invest in major projects.

Read article
July 29, 2026
External examiners mark HMRC’s performance as ‘Poor’

The latest annual report from the Charter Stakeholder Group remains highly critical of HMRC's service performance, with scores either stagnant or deteriorating across most standards. Alongside poor scores for responsiveness and ease of use, the report highlights overwhelmingly negative feedback on Making Tax Digital (MTD).

Read article