You may need a UK company to serve customers, employ a team or form part of an international group. We start with those operating needs, establish whether the UK fits, and coordinate the agreed setup through to a documented handover. You know what is included, which decisions remain yours and what the company will need each year.
Private company limited by shares
A new private limited company for an operating business. An LLP, branch, charity, regulated business or investment vehicle needs a different assessment and filing scope.
Official-source research checked 2026-10-12
- Directors
- At least one
A director must be at least 16 and eligible to act. Directors do not have to live in the UK. A company secretary is optional for a private limited company.[5]
- Owners & capital
- At least one shareholder
The shareholder can also be the director. Agree the share value, number, voting and dividend rights. A £1 share is a possible choice, not a complete setup budget.[6][7]
- Registered office
- An appropriate UK address
Use a physical address in the UK registration jurisdiction chosen for the company. It must receive company correspondence reliably; a PO Box does not qualify. The address is public.[8]
- Identity checks
- Personal codes required
Each individual director needs a Companies House personal code for the registration filing. Individual PSCs have a separate role-specific verification requirement. Corporate appointments and corporate PSC structures need their own filing review.[3]
- Online incorporation
- Usually within 24 hours
The published timing is for registration after a suitable application. Document preparation, identity checks, bank approval and operational readiness take their own time.[1]
What the engagement can cover
- An assessment of the intended business, ownership and management, with separate tax analysis identified where needed.
- Coordination of the agreed private limited company formation, identity-verification route and company documents.
- The registered-office and administration arrangements included in the accepted proposal.
- Banking, tax registrations, payroll or payment support where expressly included and suitable for the business.
We agree the entity, filing route, providers, responsibilities and exclusions in writing before proceeding.
Tax and management in United Kingdom
UK-resident companies fall within corporation tax on worldwide profits, subject to applicable exemptions and relief. Foreign establishments, dividends and foreign tax relief should be checked under the rules for the relevant accounting period.
UK incorporation and central management and control are residence tests, subject to treaty provisions. Foreign incorporation alone is insufficient.
Read the corporate tax guideWhat you receive
- The incorporation and constitutional records for the successfully registered company.
- A clear record of the accepted address and provider arrangements.
- Completion records for the additional registrations or account work included in your scope.
- A first-year handover showing recurring obligations, deadlines and who is responsible for each.
Costs to budget for
Government charges
These are authority charges for the specified route. Our service fee and other provider costs are quoted separately.
| Item | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard incorporation — online or software | GBP 100 | Companies House registration charge. Address services, professional work, identity verification through a paid agent and banking support are separate.[2] |
| Standard incorporation — paper | GBP 124 | An alternative filing route, not an extra charge on top of digital incorporation.[2] |
| Same-day incorporation — software | GBP 156 | A separate expedited registry route where available and accepted. It does not accelerate banking or other providers.[2] |
| Confirmation statement — online or software | GBP 50 | Charged with the first statement in a 12-month payment period. The paper alternative is GBP 110. This does not pay for accounts or tax returns.[2] |
We quote the service after reviewing the activity, ownership and implementation requirements. The proposal itemises our work, government charges, external providers and ongoing costs, so the registration fee is not mistaken for the total budget.
Initial setup
Formation, registrations, certification, translation and agreed implementation work.
Recurring costs
Local address or agent, administration, accounts, returns, licences and any genuine management arrangement.
Separate workstreams
Banking, residence, tax analysis, legal opinions and regulated-activity permissions where required.
Setup process & timing
Follow the sequence from preparation to operation. Published government processing targets apply to the stated filing stage; banking, document preparation and additional permissions have their own dependencies.
01Establish why the UK company fitsBefore formation is instructed
We map where the owners live, where the team works, who makes decisions and what the entity will actually do. This determines whether a UK company supports the intended operations and where further tax analysis is needed. We then agree the formation, banking and ongoing-provider scope.
Documents & evidence
- Business activity, markets and expected transaction flows
- Ownership, residence and management outline
- Treating foreign ownership as an exemption from UK Corporation Tax.
- Incorporating before checking a critical bank, platform or licence dependency.
02Complete identity checks and approve the company designBefore the registration filing
Complete the applicable verification route and assemble the company details. Agree share rights, directors, articles and the registered office. If there are several owners, resolve decision rights and disputes before finalising documents.
Documents & evidence
- Verified director details and personal codes
- Ownership schedule, approved articles and address arrangement
- Name or identity details that do not match the evidence.
- Using standard documents despite materially different investor rights.
03Submit the incorporation applicationOnline: usually 24 hours; post: 8–10 days
The chosen filer submits the accepted application and registry charge. On approval, the certificate records the company number and incorporation date. Published processing times are registry guidance, not an end-to-end service promise.
Documents & evidence
- Completed filing and declarations
- Certificate of incorporation once issued
- Assuming the company is operational just because it has been registered.
04Complete the ownership and administration handoverImmediately after registration; new individual PSC code deadline within 14 days
Check the public record, complete outstanding PSC verification and confirm who monitors company mail and email. Keep personal identity codes and company filing credentials under controlled access; they serve different purposes.
- Assuming a director’s filing automatically satisfies their separate PSC role.
- Missing official correspondence at an unmonitored service address.
05Connect tax registration, payroll and bankingBefore the relevant trading or employment triggers
Coordinate the registrations and account application included in the scope. VAT depends on the supplies and establishment facts. A qualifying non-established business cannot assume it receives the normal turnover threshold. Arrange PAYE before the first payday where required, and confirm account functions before relying on them.
Documents & evidence
- Transaction flow, expected customers and suppliers
- Evidence requested by the bank or payment institution
- Applying the £90,000 threshold without considering the non-established business rules.
- Promising customer payment methods before the institution accepts the business.
06Set the first-year filing calendarAt handover, then throughout the year
Assign the accountant, company administrator and person responsible for changes. Record accounts, Corporation Tax and confirmation-statement dates separately. Agree which provider handles each task and what is billed annually.
Documents & evidence
- Formation file and provider responsibility list
- First-year calendar and recurring-cost schedule
- Confusing the confirmation statement with the accounts or Company Tax Return.
Document checklist
Track your preparation in this browser. Final requirements depend on the route and filing authority.
Document sources [1][4][3][6][7][8]
Ongoing obligations & deadlines
Corporation Tax activity notification and account access
Confirm HMRC has the correct business-start date. If the combined incorporation service has already supplied the necessary details, do not duplicate the notification. Complete access to the company’s Corporation Tax services and identify the person handling correspondence.[16][17]
Confirmation statement
Review the registered information and report changes through the correct process. The annual statement does not replace accounts or tax filings.[10]
First Companies House accounts
Confirm the actual deadline for the accounting reference period, especially if it changes.[9]
Subsequent Companies House accounts
Arrange bookkeeping and year-end preparation before the filing deadline.[9]
Corporation Tax payment
This is the ordinary payment deadline; companies within instalment regimes have a different schedule.[9]
Company Tax Return
The payment date comes before this filing date. Confirm the first-year periods with the accountant.[9]
VAT threshold monitoring
For businesses eligible for the threshold, registration can be triggered by taxable turnover exceeding £90,000 in the last 12 months or expected to exceed it in the next 30 days alone. Other registration rules can apply.[11]
PAYE setup and employment administration
HMRC allows employer registration no more than two months before paying people. Agree payroll, employment contracts, insurance and pension responsibilities for the actual workforce.[15]
Tax, banking & practical questions
Can I form a UK company while living abroad?
Directors do not have to live in the UK. However, the owner’s residence, the company’s tax residence and the location of its operations are separate questions. A non-resident owner still needs an appropriate UK registered office and an accepted identity-verification route.
We assess the company alongside the owner’s home-country position. If independent management is required, we can help identify external providers; Offshore Capitalist does not internally provide foreign management and control.
[5][14]Will foreign ownership or overseas management make the company tax-free?
No. UK incorporation is a domestic residence test, and central management and control is also relevant. A treaty may change the result in a qualifying dual-residence case, but that requires the actual treaty and facts to be assessed. It is not an election made simply by opening the company from abroad. See the UK corporate tax guide for the wider framework.
[14]Is the company taxed at 19% or 25%?
The ordinary main Corporation Tax rate is 25%. A qualifying company can use the 19% small-profits rate at profits of £50,000 or less, with marginal relief between £50,000 and £250,000. Those headline limits are not universal: short periods, associated companies and eligibility restrictions matter. Model the company and the owner’s withdrawals together.
[13][20]Why can the first year require two tax returns?
The first Companies House accounts may cover more than 12 months, but a Corporation Tax accounting period cannot. This can mean two tax returns and two payment deadlines. Confirm which periods the accountant’s quote covers.
HMRC’s current filing guidance requires commercial software for Company Tax Returns, apart from permitted exceptions. Agree who will prepare and submit the returns, how records will be transferred and whether the first-year fee includes both returns.
[18][19]Does a registered office give the company a VAT establishment?
Not by itself in every case. HMRC’s VAT guidance looks at the business establishment and the capacity to make or receive supplies, not merely the incorporation certificate. A non-established taxable person making taxable UK supplies can face registration without the usual turnover threshold, subject to the applicable rules and exceptions. Settle the supply chain and establishment analysis before the first relevant transaction.
[12]Is a bank account included or guaranteed?
Banking support can be included in the written scope after the activity, owners, residence and required currencies have been assessed. The institution makes its own onboarding decision. Company registration is not bank approval, and a payment account may offer different safeguarding, deposit protection and lending features from a bank account.
Start with the UK banking guide and tell us which payment, platform and currency functions the company must support. A suitable account route is a setup dependency, not an afterthought.
What will the complete package cost?
Your quote separates our coordination and implementation fee, the government filing charge, third-party address and professional costs, and recurring administration. Banking, tax analysis, payroll and legal drafting are included only where stated. We will confirm the expected first-year and ongoing commitments before work begins.
Why work with us
- We consider the UK against other jurisdictions and the countries where you already live and operate.
- The formation can be coordinated with banking, payments, tax planning and relocation within one agreed project.
- Our advisory and fulfilment teams connect the design with the practical implementation and the ongoing handover.
Things to watch out for
An address service is not a management service
A registered office receives official correspondence. It does not, on its own, establish where commercial decisions are made or where employees perform their work.[8]
One person can have two separate verification duties
A director who is also a PSC must link their verified identity for each role. Track the PSC deadline even if the incorporation was accepted.[3]
The registry fee is only one line of the budget
Allow for the address, accounts, tax returns and agreed implementation work. Compare a complete first-year scope and recurring costs.[2]
Annual filings do not cover every company change
Director, registered-office and other changes can need their own notifications. Do not wait for the confirmation statement to report every event.[10]
A certificate does not settle the operating plan
Banking, payment processing, licensing, contracts and the owner-country consequences must fit the business. We identify those dependencies before recommending a formation scope.
Sources & research notes20 references
- Companies House: incorporation, filing routes and processing guidance
- Companies House: current statutory fees
- Companies House: director and PSC identity-verification deadlines
- Companies House: identity-verification routes and documents
- Companies House: directors and company secretaries
- Companies House: shareholders and share capital
- Companies House: memorandum, articles and statement of capital
- Companies House: registered office and email
- GOV.UK: annual accounts, tax returns and payment deadlines
- Companies House: confirmation-statement responsibilities
- HMRC: VAT registration triggers
- HMRC VAT Notice 700/1: establishment and non-established persons
- HMRC: Corporation Tax rates and allowances
- HMRC INTM154050: company residence and treaty treatment
- HMRC: registering as an employer
- HMRC: tell us when a company is active
- Companies House/HMRC: activate Corporation Tax services
- HMRC: first accounts can require two tax returns
- HMRC: tax-return filing software
- HMRC: marginal-relief limits and restrictions
Confirm in your scope
- The accepting formation and identity-verification providers, address arrangement, banking route, complete service fee and recurring fees are confirmed in the written proposal.
- Complex ownership, regulated activities, bespoke articles, employment and multi-country tax opinions need an expressly agreed professional scope.
The formation route, providers, banking eligibility and complete price are confirmed for your circumstances before engagement.