Do I need filed accounts or will management

2 min read

FiledThe baseline

ManagementShows current picture

BothStrongest case

RecentBeats out-of-date

What each shows

Filed accounts are your official year-end figures, verified against Companies House — a lender's trusted baseline. Management accounts are your own up-to-date internal figures, showing how the company is trading right now. Filed accounts prove where you were; management accounts prove where you are.

When management accounts help most

If your last filed accounts are several months old, or the business has grown or turned around since, management accounts fill the gap and can be decisive. Many lenders will assess on management accounts plus recent bank data when filed accounts lag behind reality. The management-accounts definition explains what they contain.

Presenting them well

Provide both where you can, keep the management accounts consistent with the bank statements, and be ready to explain any large movements. Preparing them properly matters — see how to prepare management accounts. Then confirm the numbers support the ask with the affordability calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Will a lender lend on management accounts alone?

Sometimes, for smaller or faster facilities, especially alongside a strong bank feed. For larger or secured deals, most lenders want filed accounts as the verified baseline plus management accounts for the current view.

How recent should management accounts be?

As recent as possible — ideally within the last month or two. Stale management accounts carry little more weight than old filed ones; their value is showing the here and now.