What information do businesses have to make available?

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Companies and limited liability partnerships
Sole traders and 'traditional' partnerships (ones that are not limited liability partnerships )

Companies and LLPs have to send their details to Companies House and they have to update them on an annual basis. All the Companies House information is publicly available
The information that companies and LLPs have to send to Companies House includes their accounts. However, small and medium size companies and LLPs are allowed to send abbreviated accounts, rather than full accounts. There are further exemptions for 'very small companies'
Companies House provides basic details about companies free and makes charges for financial and other data
However, you can find free financial information about many PLCs on some web sites. Some of these sites are listed at Companies > UK: Annual reports/finance on the Gateway to the Internet
In the larger Bedfordshire libraries you can find basic financial data for some companies free in printed directories. The directory Kompass United Kingdom register covers leading national industrial companies; Key British enterprises, at Bedford Central Library, covers leading national companies (and other businesses); and D and B business register, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire covers companies (and other businesses) both large and small and provides a 'risk rating' for each business
For detailed information, see Further sources on types of business and the information required from them

If a business is a sole trader or a traditional partnership there may be little or no information required to be publicly available
There are some requirements for anyone using a 'business name', which is 'a name used by any person, partnership or company for carrying on business, unless it is the same as their own name'
Although there may be little or no required information, some business information publishers provide some details, such as the names of the sole trader or partners and the number of employees
For example, in the larger Bedfordshire libraries you can find D and B Business Register, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, which covers all kinds of businesses, large and small. The publisher also provides a 'risk rating' for each business. Bedford Central Library has Key British enterprises which covers leading national companies and other businesses
For detailed information, see Further sources on types of business and the information required from them

Page last updated: 25th January 2007