Limited company guides.
From your first decision to your first filing. Practical answers for starting and running a UK limited company.
Start with the complete formation guide75 guides
Sole trader or limited company: which structure fits?
Compare liability, ownership, paperwork and how you take money out before choosing a UK business structure.
Company formation costs: the real first-year budget
Understand Companies House fees, subsidised registration offers, address renewals and the ongoing costs of a limited company.
How to choose and check a limited company name
Check name availability, sensitive words, trade marks and trading names before registering your company.
Registered office and address privacy: what becomes public?
Understand registered offices, service addresses, home address privacy and what to check before buying an address service.
Directors, shareholders and PSCs explained
Understand who runs a company, who owns it, how shares work and when people with significant control must be disclosed.
Companies House identity verification: directors and PSCs
Learn who must verify, what a personal code does and why directors and PSCs have separate role-linking requirements.
SIC codes: choosing the right business activity
Find the Companies House classification that describes what your company does, including multiple activities and later changes.
Choosing a business account for a limited company
Compare transactions, access, protection and bundled formation offers before deciding where to keep company money.
Limited company tax basics: Corporation Tax, VAT and PAYE
Understand the separate taxes a company may face, when registration is needed and why turnover is not the same as profit.
Limited company filing deadlines: accounts, tax and statements
Keep Companies House accounts, confirmation statements and HMRC tax deadlines separate with a practical compliance calendar.
How to compare company formation packages without overpaying
Separate the filing fee, account bundle, address service and renewals so you can compare packages on equal terms.
Your first 30 days after forming a limited company
A practical post-incorporation checklist for documents, banking, records, tax registration and the first compliance calendar.
Salary, dividends and director’s loans: taking money out correctly
Understand the lawful routes for company withdrawals and why the bank balance is not a personal spending allowance.
Company records and expenses: build good habits from day one
Organise receipts, company decisions and bookkeeping so your accountant can work from a reliable record, not a pile of guesses.
Dormant companies: inactive does not mean obligation-free
Understand the different Companies House and HMRC dormancy rules, continuing filings and common transaction traps.
Closing a limited company: strike-off, assets and debts
Understand why closing a solvent company is different from dealing with insolvency and what to check before applying for strike-off.
10 company formation mistakes to avoid before you apply
Avoid rushed address choices, incorrect ownership details, banking assumptions and missed post-registration duties.
Company formation documents: what each one means
Understand the certificate, memorandum, articles, capital statement and the different codes you receive after incorporation.
Online company formation: every important application choice explained
A field-by-field guide to company type, jurisdiction, names, addresses, directors, shares, PSCs, articles, SIC codes and optional formation services.
Formation agent or Companies House: benefits, costs and trade-offs
Compare direct online incorporation with a formation agent: guided checks, address privacy, identity verification, document packs, account bundles and ongoing costs.
VAT registration for a limited company: thresholds, schemes and first returns
A practical guide for UK limited companies on VAT registration thresholds (£90,000), schemes like Flat Rate, and filing your first VAT return with HMRC.
Registering as an employer and running PAYE for directors and staff
A guide to registering your UK limited company as an employer and running PAYE for directors and staff. Learn about RTI, deadlines, tax codes, and reliefs.
The Corporation Tax return (CT600): periods, payments and penalties
A practical guide to the UK Corporation Tax return (CT600). Learn about accounting periods, calculating tax, payment deadlines, and avoiding penalties.
The confirmation statement: what to check, file and pay each year
A practical guide for UK limited companies on filing the annual confirmation statement. Learn what to check, how to file, and the fees for 2025/26.
Micro-entity, small company and full accounts: which applies
A guide for UK limited companies on choosing between micro-entity, small company, and full accounts, detailing the thresholds, contents, and filing options.
Share capital, nominal value and share classes explained
A practical guide to UK limited company share capital, nominal value, and share classes. Learn how to set up, issue, and manage shares for your business.
Articles of association: model articles versus bespoke articles
A practical guide for UK companies on choosing between standard model articles of association and custom bespoke articles. Understand the pros, cons, and costs.
Shareholders' agreements: what co-founders should settle in writing
A practical guide for UK co-founders on creating a shareholders' agreement. Learn what to include, from roles and equity to leaver provisions and disputes.
The seven general duties of a company director explained
A comprehensive, practical guide to the seven general duties of a UK company director under the Companies Act 2006. Learn how to comply and avoid liability.
Appointing, resigning and removing directors properly
A practical guide for UK limited companies on the correct procedures for appointing, resigning, and removing directors, covering Companies House and HMRC rules.
Issuing new shares and transferring existing shares
A practical guide for UK limited companies on how to issue new shares to investors and transfer existing shares between shareholders, covering legal steps and tax.
Business insurance for limited companies: what is compulsory and what is sensible
A practical guide to business insurance for UK limited companies. Learn about compulsory cover like employers' liability and sensible options like public liability.
IR35 and off-payroll working for limited company contractors
A comprehensive guide to IR35 and off-payroll working rules for UK limited company contractors, covering status tests, SDS, tax implications, and compliance.
Employer pension contributions for company directors
A practical guide for UK company directors on making tax-efficient employer pension contributions. Learn the rules, allowances, and processes for 2025/26.
Hiring your first employee through your limited company
A practical UK guide for limited companies hiring their first employee in 2025/26. Covers PAYE, contracts, costs, pensions, and legal duties.
Choosing an accountant or bookkeeping set-up for a new company
A practical guide for new UK companies on choosing an accountant, bookkeeper, or DIY software setup. Covers costs, services, legal duties, and MTD.
Making Tax Digital for VAT: software, records and digital links
A practical guide to Making Tax Digital for VAT. Learn about compatible software, digital record-keeping, and creating digital links for your UK company.
Trading disclosures: what your invoices, website and emails must show
A comprehensive UK guide to trading disclosures. Learn what your limited company's invoices, website, and emails must legally show to comply with the Companies Act.
Data protection and the ICO fee for new companies
A guide for new UK companies on data protection rules, when you must pay the ICO data protection fee, and how to comply with your legal obligations.
Late filing penalties from Companies House and HMRC, and how to avoid them
A practical guide for UK company directors on late filing penalties from Companies House and HMRC. Learn how to avoid fines and stay compliant in 2025/26.
Forming a UK company as a non-resident director
Understand UK incorporation, overseas residence, banking checks, public addresses and cross-border tax before forming a company from abroad.
Companies limited by guarantee: structure, membership and formation
Compare a guarantee company with a share company, plan member rights and understand why incorporation does not automatically create a charity.
Holding companies: when a group structure helps and what it costs
Explore parent-company ownership, group funding, administration and the limits of asset protection before setting up a holding company.
Setting up a subsidiary: ownership, funding and group responsibilities
Plan a new subsidiary’s share ownership, board, contracts, funding, PSC reporting and ongoing records without confusing it with a branch.
Property SPV companies: formation, lending and ongoing costs
Understand what a property SPV is, what lenders may require and why buying property through a company needs a full tax and financing comparison.
Changing a limited company’s name: approval, filing and rebranding
Follow the legal name-change process, distinguish a trading name and coordinate bank, customer and tax records after registration.
Changing your registered office: filing, mail and address privacy
Move the registered office without losing official post, confusing service addresses or assuming old public records disappear.
Changing your company year end: accounts periods and filing traps
Understand shortening and extending accounting periods, Companies House restrictions and the separate impact on Corporation Tax returns.
Companies House authentication codes: access, security and recovery
Keep company filing access secure, distinguish identity personal codes and recover access before a statutory deadline.
Declaring dividends: profits, approvals and dividend vouchers
Work through distributable profits, share rights, board records and dividend vouchers before paying company money to shareholders.
Overdrawn director’s loans: repayment, tax and company approvals
Understand how a director’s loan becomes overdrawn, how repayment deadlines and benefits interact, and what evidence your accountant needs.
Working from home as a director: expenses, equipment and rent
Compare supported homeworking reimbursements, company equipment and formal room rental without confusing company tax relief with personal tax exemption.
Capital allowances for companies: equipment, cars and claim choices
Learn how a company moves from accounts depreciation to tax allowances, checks AIA and full expensing, and records asset disposals.
Corporation Tax losses: claims, carry-back and future relief
Understand the difference between accounting and tax losses, the main relief routes and evidence needed before expecting a refund.
Bookkeeping for limited companies: a practical monthly system
Build a reliable company bookkeeping routine for bank reconciliation, invoices, director transactions, payroll and year-end handover.
Company invoicing and late payment: terms, evidence and collection
Create compliant company invoices, agree payment terms and follow a proportionate business-debt collection process.
Importing and exporting as a company: EORI, customs and records
Plan the first goods shipment with correct EORI details, customs responsibilities, commodity classification and import VAT evidence.
Business contracts for companies: scope, payment, risk and signatures
Review practical contract terms for a newly formed company, including authority, payment, intellectual property, liability and exit.
Selling company shares: preparation, due diligence and completion
Understand the practical difference between selling shares and assets, prepare company records and review tax and deal terms before completion.
Company insolvency warning signs: cash, creditors and director action
Recognise financial distress, build a short-term cash picture and know when a director needs urgent licensed professional advice.
Company cars and mileage allowances: what directors should check
Compare providing a company car against paying mileage for a personal car, understand benefit-in-kind percentages and keep the right mileage records.
Benefits in kind and P11D reporting for a limited company
Understand P11D and P11D(b) reporting, payrolling benefits in kind, Class 1A National Insurance, deadlines and trivial benefits exemptions.
Research and development (R&D) tax relief for limited companies
Understand the merged R&D scheme from April 2024, the enhanced intensive support regime, claim notification and the additional information form.
SEIS and EIS for startups: raising investment with tax relief
Understand SEIS and EIS investment limits, advance assurance, compliance statements and the risk-to-capital condition before raising investment.
Employment Allowance and employer National Insurance for small companies
Understand employer National Insurance rates and thresholds, the Employment Allowance, single-director company exclusions and how to claim through your EPS.
Trade marks and brand protection for a new company
Understand how a registered company name differs from a trade mark, what UKIPO registration costs and how to search, apply and defend a brand.
Statutory registers and company books: what every company must keep
Understand the statutory registers a UK company must maintain, inspection rights, how they interact with the public register, and how ECCTA reforms affect them.
LLP or limited company: which structure fits your business?
Compare a limited liability partnership with a limited company across liability, tax transparency, filing duties and who each structure typically suits.
Business premises and business rates: what a new company needs to check
Understand leases, rateable value, small business rate relief, working from home, planning permission and differences across the UK nations.
Raising finance for a new company: realistic options and their real cost
Compare personal guarantees, Start Up Loans, director loans, equity investment, grants and overdrafts, with an honest look at the cost and risk of each.
Tide company formation: a step-by-step walkthrough
How to form a UK limited company through Tide for £14.99 including the Companies House fee, from choosing a name to opening your business account.
How to qualify for Tide's £200 reward with NEW200
A plain-English breakdown of the NEW200 reward: the £75 card-spend reward, the £125 savings reward, timings and common reasons people miss out.
Tide limited company formation: eligibility and what you need
Check who can form a company through Tide, the ID and details required, shareholder eligibility and situations where another provider may suit better.
Setting up your Tide business account after formation
What to do in your first weeks with a Tide business account: separating money, invoicing, bookkeeping, payroll registration and hitting the reward deadlines.
Tide formation vs registering directly with Companies House
Compare forming a company through Tide for £14.99 with filing directly at Companies House for £100, including cost, banking and support differences.
Know the details.
Then choose your offer.
Our guides explain the rules; our comparison covers selected formation packages. Take professional advice for decisions specific to your circumstances.
Compare company formation offers