Company formation (UK)
How to form a limited company in the UK — choosing between Ltd and PLC, the incorporation process at Companies House, statutory documents, and ongoing obligations.
جائزہ
A UK limited company is a separate legal entity with its own rights, debts, and liabilities. The most common form is the private company limited by shares (Ltd), used for everything from one-person consultancies to large private businesses. Public Limited Companies (PLC) have higher capital requirements and can list shares. This guide focuses on Ltd formation. Forming a company is straightforward; the harder part is ongoing compliance — and getting the directors' duties wrong is a common source of professional negligence claims.
یہ عمل کون استعمال کر سکتا ہے
- You are likely eligible to use this guide if your situation involves company formation (uk).
- You have a genuine legal basis for the matter (contract, tort, statutory right, etc.).
- You have made reasonable attempts to resolve the matter directly with the other party first.
مرحلہ وار عمل
Choose a company name
Use Companies House's name-availability checker. The name cannot be the same as an existing company, cannot contain sensitive words (e.g. 'bank', 'royal') without permission, and must end with 'Limited' or 'Ltd'.
Decide on directors and PSCs
At least one director (must be 16+). At least one shareholder (can be the director). A 'Person of Significant Control' (PSC) is any shareholder owning more than 25% — they must be registered separately.
Registered office address
Must be in the UK; will be on the public register. Can be your home, an accountant's office, or a service-address provider (around £50–£100/year).
Articles of association
Use the Model Articles for most companies. For investor-driven or family companies, bespoke articles drafted by a solicitor are common. Articles govern internal decision-making.
File IN01 at Companies House
Online application £50, postal £71. Online incorporation is usually completed within 24 hours; postal takes 8–10 days. You get a certificate of incorporation and a unique company number.
Post-formation obligations
Register for corporation tax (within 3 months of starting to trade), open a business bank account, register for VAT if turnover exceeds £90,000, register for PAYE if employing, and submit annual accounts and confirmation statement to Companies House.
اخراجات
اہم انتباہات
Directors' duties (Companies Act 2006 ss.171–177) are personal — directors can be personally liable for breach of duty or for wrongful trading near insolvency.
PSC register inaccuracies are a criminal offence (since the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023).
Companies House identity-verification requirements are tightening from 2024 onwards — directors and PSCs need verified identities.