Companies Act 1985 (c. 6)

Part VII U.K. Accounts and Audit

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. VII (ss. 221–262) applied with modifications by S.I. 1985/680, regs. 4–6, Sch.

C2 Part VII (ss. 221-262) continued by S.I. 1990/355, arts. 6, 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(1)(a)

C3 Part VII (ss. 221-262) amended by S.I. 1990/355, arts. 6, 7, Sch. 2 para. 1(2)(5)

C4 Part VII (ss. 221-262) extended by S.I. 1990/355, arts. 6, 7, Sch. 2 para. 1(3)(5)

C5 Part VII (ss. 221-262) modified by S.I. 1990/355, arts. 6, 7, Sch. 2 paras. 1(4)(5), 3(2)(3)

C6 Part VII (ss. 221-262) excluded by S.I. 1990/355, arts. 6, 7, Sch. 2 para. 3(1)(3)

C7 Part VII (ss. 221-262) restricted by S.I. 1990/355, arts. 6, 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(1)(b)

Pt. VII (ss. 221-262) applied (with modifications) (21.7.1993) by S.I. 1993/1820, reg. 4, Sch. paras.1, 2 (as amended (1.10.2005) by S.I. 2005/1987, reg. 3)

Pt. VII (ss. 221-262) applied (with modifications) (6.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1090, reg. 3, Sch. 1 (as amended (4.3.2004) by S.I. 2004/355, art. 8, (1.10.2005) by S.I. 2005/1989, reg. 2, Sch. 1 and (12.1.2006) by S.I. 2005/3442, reg. 2(2)(b), Sch. 2 para. 3(1))

C8 Pt. 7 (ss. 221-262) modified (1.8.2007) by The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1949), regs. 6, 7, Sch. Pt. 1

Chapter I U.K. Provisions Applying to Companies Generally

Publication of accounts and reports E+W+S

238 Persons entitled to receive copies of accounts and reports. E+W+S

(1) [F1 A copy of each of the documents mentioned in subsection (1A)] shall be sent to—

(a) every member of the company,

(b) every holder of the company’s debentures, and

(c) every person who is entitled to receive notice of general meetings,

F2 . . . .

[F3 (1A) Those documents are—

(a) the company’s annual accounts for the financial year,

(b) the directors’ report for that financial year,

(ba) F4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) (in the case of a quoted company) the directors’ remuneration report for that financial year, and

[F5 (d) the auditors' report on those accounts and that directors' report and (in the case of a quoted company) on F6 . . . the auditable part of that directors' remuneration report.]]

(2) Copies need not be sent—

(a) to a person who is not entitled to receive notices of general meetings and of whose address the company is unaware, or

(b) to more than one of the joint holders of shares or debentures none of whom is entitled to receive such notices, or

(c) in the case of joint holders of shares or debentures some of whom are, and some not, entitled to receive such notices, to those who are not so entitled.

(3) In the case of a company not having a share capital, copies need not be sent to anyone who is not entitled to receive notices of general meetings of the company.

(4) F7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4A) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4B) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4C) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4D) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4E) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) If default is made in complying with this section [F9 or section 238A] , the company and every officer of it who is in default is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine.

(6) Where copies are sent out under this section over a period of days, references elsewhere in this Act to the day on which copies are sent out shall be construed as references to the last day of that period.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 238(1) substituted (1.8.2002) by The Directors' Remuneration Report Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1986), reg. 10(3)

F2 Words in s. 238(1) omitted (1.10.2007 with effect as mentioned in Sch. 4 para. 3(8) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 3, Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/2194), art. 10(1), Sch. 4 para. 3(2)(a) (with art. 12)

F3 S. 238(1A) inserted (1.8.2002) by The Directors' Remuneration Report Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1986), reg. 10(4)

F4 S. 238(1A)(ba) omitted (12.1.2006) by virtue of The Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review) (Repeal) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/3442), reg. 2(2)(a) {Sch. 1 para. 5(a)}

F5 S. 238(1A)(d) substituted (22.3.2005) by The Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1011), reg. 19, Sch. para. 2(b)

F6 Words in s. 238(1A)(d) omitted (12.1.2006) by virtue of The Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review) (Repeal) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/3442), reg. 2(2)(a), Sch. 1 para. 5(b)

F7 S. 238(4) omitted (1.10.2007 with effect as mentioned in Sch. 4 para. 3(8) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 3, Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/2194), art. 10(1), Sch. 4 para. 3(2)(b) (with art. 12)

F8 S. 238(4A)-(4E) repealed (20.1.2007) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), ss. 1295, 1300, Sch. 16; S.I. 2006/3428, art. 7(b), Sch. 3 Pt. 1 (with arts. 6, 8, Sch. 5 (as amended by S.I. 2007/3495, art. 11, Sch. 5))

F9 Words in s. 238(5) inserted (1.10.2007 with effect as mentioned in Sch. 4 para. 3(8) of the amending S.I.) by The Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 3, Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/2194), art. 10(1), Sch. 4 para. 3(2)(c) (with art. 12)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C9 S. 238 amended by by S.I. 1990/2570, regs. 8(2)(b), 9(2)(b)

C10 S. 238 applied (1.7.2005) by The Community Interest Company Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1788), reg. 29

C11 S. 238(2)(3) applied by S.I. 1990/2570, reg. 10(3)

C12 S. 238(5) applied with modifications by S.I. 1990/2570, reg. 10(4)