For many organisations, January 2026 will bring more than the usual financial year-end pressure. Alongside submitting financial accounts, large companies must also report their carbon emissions as part of the UK’s Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) regulations.
If SECR feels like a box-ticking exercise, or a scramble every January, you’re not alone. Below is a simple walkthrough of the key dates, common challenges, and what you can do now to make 2026 your smoothest reporting year yet.
January 2026: Filing Season Is Here
By the end of January, most organisations will need to have submitted their SECR statement (though exact deadlines depend on your financial year).
SECR reporting can be handled in-house, but many organisations turn to specialist consultancies that complete hundreds of them each year. While the mandatory elements of SECR are relatively straightforward, they rarely deliver the full, meaningful insight organisations actually need.
The optional elements, on the other hand, often provide richer and more actionable data—yet they remain just that: optional. For now.
April 2026: The Smart Time to Start
If completing last year’s SECR felt stressful, April is the perfect moment to reset. Starting early makes a huge difference, especially when dealing with the common pain points we see every day:
- Missing or incomplete data
- Quality issues
- Tricky landlord/tenant arrangements
- Complex organisational structures
- Scope 3 emissions (the big one!)
Even though your SECR won’t be due until later in the year, the data will typically need to cover April 2025 – March 2026. So getting ahead now pays off.
For a smooth, low-stress process, we generally allow around two months from kick-off to completion. Our fastest turnaround, though? Four hours!
June 2026: New Emissions Factors Arrive
Roughly each June, updated carbon conversion factors are released, these are the numbers used to translate your energy consumption into CO₂ emissions.
These factors are based on the latest research and occasionally bring surprises or subtle methodological changes. Staying on top of these updates is crucial, and a key reason many organisations work with specialist environmental consultancies.
In most cases, the June 2025 factors will be used for your 2025/26 SECR report.
Beyond the Deadlines: Why You May Need Emissions Data Year-Round
While the dates above reflect legislative SECR requirements, organisations increasingly need emissions data outside the official reporting cycle. These additional assessments follow the same methodology but may be required for:
- Carbon Reduction Plans – to create a credible baseline
- Investor due diligence – sustainability is now a key investment metric
- Client or supply-chain requests – especially if you supply to larger organisations
In other words, SECR isn’t just a compliance exercise anymore, it’s becoming a business expectation.
Next Steps
If you need an SECR statement or a wider carbon footprint assessment, we’re here to help. Get in touch for a friendly chat or a quote: https://shiftenvironment.co.uk/contact/