Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Company Start up in the UK: An Easy Guide

A company start up in the UK is a good proposition if you wish to branch out offshore. The sound legal framework in the UK provides a favourable and flourishing environment for doing business. All companies in the UK are regulated by the Companies Act 2006, as of October 01, 2009. Further, the Companies House is the official UK agency that looks after all aspects of company formation. This agency stipulates many rules and regulations, which can be accessed both online and offline. So, if you are an entrepreneur looking to set up a company in the UK, it will help to know the rules and regulations.

Steps for Company Start Up in the UK
It is said that idea generates money and not the other way around. So the prime mover of any good business initiative should be the idea behind it. You should plan your business strategy very carefully before venturing into any business. Once you have planned your business, follow these steps for a company start up in the UK:
  • Define the business objective and the nature of your business. The structure of the company would be dependent on your business objective.
  • You can choose among the four types of companies in the UK. These are private company limited by shares, private company limited by guarantee, private limited company and private unlimited company. All these types have different tax liability. The private limited companies are the most preferred, due to their tax benefits.
  • Choose an appropriate name for your company to be registered with the Companies House. You can choose only those names which do not sound like the ones already registered with the regulating agency.
  • Register a company office in the region where you wish to do business. Depending on where you intend to do business, you can either register an office in England, Wales or Scotland.
  • Fill out Forms 10 and 12 of the Companies House and the agreement documents. You can do it either manually or electronically. Due to their convenience and expediency, electronic filing is in vogue these days.
To enable a smooth registration process for your company start up in the UK, it is advisable that you take up professional help. Professional agents like Company Formations 247 provide you all necessary help required in company formation, which include filling up forms and filing with the Companies House. The agent also offers you services, such as registering an office or appointing directors and secretaries at attractive prices.

Business Formation Agents

With the expert help of business formation agents, you can set up a new company in the UK without any difficulty. The Companies House in the UK has authorised several such agents, who facilitate the company registration process. With their help, the need to hire a lawyer for completing the complex formalities involved in setting up a new business is totally eliminated.

Role of Business Formation Agents
Business formation agents work as important links between the Companies House and the applicants. They also advice entrepreneurs and company owners on several company formation matters.
  • Their role as a link: These agents work as a crucial link between the entrepreneur and the Companies House. Since the Companies House receives thousands of applications each month, it is realistically not possible for the agency to guide each and every applicant individually. Hence, the team of company formation professionals, with their expertise in all aspects of company formation formalities, works for these entrepreneurs and simplifies the process for them.
  • Advisory role: They provide valuable advice on matters of setting up a new company. This includes finding a suitable name for the company, the fees required, procuring application forms and other related matters. Since these agents are deep in the trade and advise several clients every day, they are updated on the latest intricacies of starting and registering a new business.
Benefits of Business Formation Agents
Most business formation agents have developed their own electronic interface, which works in sync with the back office of the Companies House. This enables electronic filing for entrepreneurs, and speeds up the registration process. Company formation agents provide the following services for the smooth incorporation of your company:
  • Assistance during company name search, so that your chosen name gets registered easily.
  • They help you in registering your office, and appointing the directors and secretary for your company.
  • Help you in filling up the application form and preparing other necessary documents, such as the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association.
  • They also provide post incorporation assistance.
It is not wise to unnecessarily waste your time on completing these complex formalities on your own. The best way to start a company is to utilize the services of the agents like Company Formations 247. The company formation agent provides all kinds of company formation assistance at the most competitive prices in the industry.

Company House Registration: An Easy Guide

The first step to setting up a new business in the UK is completing the Company House Registration process. The Company House is the official agency of the UK that regulates all aspects of company formation.

Documents for Company House Registration
Here are the three documents you must fill up and submit for Company House Registration in the UK:
  • Registration Application Form: This form asks for information related to the location of the registered office of your company. Based on the region where you wish to trade, your office could be located in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. It also provides information related to the consenting Secretary and Directors of the company. In case you have applied for a company limited by shares, you also have to mention the details of the share capital.
  • Memorandum of Association: This form must include the names and signatures of the subscribers wishing to form the company. For a company limited by shares, you will have to provide a commitment of subscribers taking at least one share each.
  • Articles of Association: It deals with the internal management of the proposed company and its liability.
The registration application form can be downloaded from the website of the agency. However, you will have to purchase the Memorandum and Articles of Association from a Legal Stationer, which can be found on the Yellow Pages.

After filling up these documents you can send them to the agency along with the filing fee applicable in your case.

Tips on Company House Registration
These company house registration tips may help you in your company registration:
  • The average time of incorporation of a company is eight to ten working days after receiving the form and relevant documents. The agency also provides the facility of Same Day Incorporation, which can be availed at a higher cost.
  • Check for the availability of the company name before sending the documents to the agency for registration. You can do this by calling the agency on phone or online.
For an error-free filing, you can use the electronic filing system. If you have any problem related to the registration process, you can depend on a reputed company formation agent. Agents like Company Formations 247 are able to provide professional guidance in all aspects of company registration, right from providing information to mailing the final certificate of incorporation of the new company.