Incorporation at Companies House
Company Formation & Registration in the United Kingdom
A UK company can be incorporated in a day. What takes thought is the registered office, the PSC register and, for overseas founders, the bank account.
GCC business setup specialists
Incorporation is the easy part
The UK has no trade licence, no activity list and no investment licence. Incorporation is quick and inexpensive. The work sits in what follows: HMRC registrations, filing obligations, identity requirements and — for non-residents — opening a bank account.
- Incorporation and HMRC registrations handled together
- Filing calendar set from day one
- Honest about the non-resident banking problem
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
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What a UK company needs
The components of a UK incorporation
Nothing here is a licence. These are registration requirements, and they apply from incorporation.
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Company name | Must be available and not too similar to an existing name; some words are restricted. |
| Registered office | A UK address where official post is received, and which must be capable of receiving it. |
| At least one director | A natural person, with their details on the public register. |
| Shareholders and share capital | No minimum capital for a private company limited by shares. |
| Persons with Significant Control | Those who ultimately own or control the company, recorded on the PSC register. |
| Articles of Association | Model articles, or bespoke where the shareholding needs it. |
UK company law and Companies House requirements change, and identity verification and registered-office rules have been tightened in recent years. Your position is confirmed against current requirements before filing.
How it works
From decision to trading
Incorporation is fast; the registrations behind it set your obligations.
01
Structure and people
Company type, shareholding, directors and who the persons with significant control are. Registered office arrangements settled, with a written quote.
02
Incorporate
Name checked, articles settled, and the company incorporated at Companies House with the PSC register completed correctly.
03
HMRC and operations
Corporation Tax registration, VAT and PAYE where they apply, bank account introduction, and your filing calendar set.
Before you start
What a UK incorporation needs
Far lighter than a GCC file, but the identity requirements are real.
- Proposed company name
- UK registered office address
- Director names, dates of birth and addresses
- Identity evidence for directors and PSCs
- Service address for each director
- Shareholder details and shareholding split
- Share capital and share classes
- Persons with Significant Control details
- Articles of Association, model or bespoke
- Intended trading activity description
- Accounting reference date preference
- Details of any overseas parent company
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Company name availability check
- Articles of Association, model or bespoke
- Incorporation at Companies House
- PSC register completed correctly
- Registered office guidance
- Corporation Tax registration with HMRC
- VAT and PAYE registration where they apply
- Filing calendar for accounts and confirmation statement
Not included, quoted separately
- Companies House and HMRC fees, paid at cost
- Registered office address service, quoted separately
- Identity verification fees where charged
- Sector regulatory authorisation
- Bank account opening decisions
- Annual accounts preparation, quoted separately
- Legal advice on shareholder agreements
- Trademark registration
Verify independently
Official UK authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Companies HouseHM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)Intellectual Property Office (IPO)GOV.UK
Questions
UK company formation — FAQs
Do I need a licence to trade in the UK?
No. There is no general trade licence. Some activities need sector authorisation — financial services, alcohol, food, childcare and similar — but most businesses simply incorporate and begin.
Can a non-resident own and run a UK company?
Yes. There is no residency requirement for directors or shareholders. The practical obstacle is banking, not company law, and we are direct about that from the outset.
Do I need a UK address?
You need a registered office in the UK capable of receiving official post. Rules here have been tightened, so a nominal address that nobody monitors is no longer sufficient.
How much share capital do I need?
There is no minimum for a private company limited by shares. Companies are routinely incorporated with nominal capital.
What is the PSC register?
A record of the people who ultimately own or control the company. It is a public register and getting it wrong is a compliance failure rather than a formality.
How quickly can it be done?
Incorporation itself is usually same-day or next-day once the details are settled. HMRC registrations and banking take longer.
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