Formation
Starting a Business in Simple Steps
Everything you need to start a business in the UK, in the right order, with up-to-date 2026 costs.
How to incorporate, run and stay compliant, written for founders who'd rather be building.
Learn how to register a limited company in the UK, including company names, directors, shareholders, SIC codes, registered addresses and Companies House fees.
Everything you need to start a business in the UK, in the right order, with up-to-date 2026 costs.
Just registered a limited company? Learn what to do next, from Corporation Tax to bookkeeping, confirmation statements and Companies House deadlines.
What is corporation tax, how much do you pay, and when? A clear guide to corporation tax for UK limited companies, including 2026 rates.
Everything UK founders need to know about VAT, what it is, the £90,000 threshold, how to register, and whether voluntary registration makes sense.
Starting a UK business? Learn which legal documents you need, from customer contracts and privacy notices to freelancer and shareholder agreements.
Learn how to register a UK trade mark, check existing brands, choose classes and protect your company name or logo, including current application fees.
Understand workplace pension duties for UK employers, including automatic enrolment and minimum contributions.
Learn when your company needs PAYE registration, how to register as an employer with HMRC and what to do before paying yourself or your first employee.
Find out how to get, recover or change your Companies House authentication code, keep it safe and understand how it differs from your personal code.
Used your home as your registered office? Here's how to remove it from the Companies House register with form SR01, what it costs and what it can't fix.
Learn how to approve and record company dividends, with an interim dividend board minute template, voucher wording and essential checks before payment.
Learn when a written health and safety policy is required, what it should include and which duties still apply to businesses with fewer than five employees.
Learn how to choose and update your company’s SIC codes, use the free FOUNDRS SIC Code Finder and make changes through a confirmation statement.
Understand annual accounts for UK limited companies, filing deadlines, small company rules and what happens if you file late.
Learn what a confirmation statement is, when to file, the Companies House fees, identity verification requirements and how FOUNDRS helps.
Learn how to verify your identity for Companies House, and how verification works when you form or import a company with FOUNDRS.
Learn which statutory registers your limited company must keep, what changed in 2025 and 2026, and how to maintain shareholder and decision records.
Learn how to register your construction company for CIS, understand 20% and 30% deductions, and claim back tax withheld by contractors.
Do you need employers’ liability insurance? Learn when cover is compulsory, the £5 million minimum and exemptions for solo founders and family businesses.
Work from home, rent or own business premises? Learn what buildings, contents and business interruption insurance cover, and what to check before buying.
Find out whether your company needs an EORI to import or export goods, which number to use and how to apply
Learn what a Corporation Tax UTR is, where to find your company’s 10-digit reference and how to request a copy from HMRC if it’s missing.
It costs £100 to register a limited company online with Companies House. See the other costs you may need to budget for when starting a UK company.
Find out which privacy notices, website terms and cookie controls your UK business needs, plus company disclosures and rules for selling online.
Understand what a Person with Significant Control (PSC) is, the 25% rules, who qualifies as a PSC and what you need to tell Companies House.
Which business insurance do you need? Learn what UK law requires, what clients may ask for, and when to review cover as your company grows.
A practical guide to splitting salary and dividends tax-efficiently as a UK company director in 2026/27, with worked examples and a free calculator.
Check whether your UK business needs to register with the ICO, which exemptions apply, how much the data protection fee costs and how to pay.
Learn what a registered office address is, Companies House requirements, whether you can use your home address and the alternatives available.
Do company directors need Self Assessment? Understand when salary, dividends or other income mean you must register, and the deadlines to remember.
Learn when to renew your ICO registration, how to pay the annual fee, update your details and cancel if your business no longer needs to pay.
What is a shareholders’ agreement? Learn whether your UK company needs one, what it should cover and how it protects co-founders when plans change.
Find out when Corporation Tax is due, how first-year deadlines work, how to pay HMRC and what happens if your payment is late.
Learn when VAT returns are due, how to file through Making Tax Digital software, when to pay HMRC and what happens if you miss a deadline.
New FOUNDRS research explores how UK solo founders are using AI, what still makes running a business difficult, and where support needs to improve.
S/EIS advance assurance help you to attract investment into your business. This guide gives you the introduction you need to secure it.
Your company structure has funding, legal and tax implications for your business. This guide gives you the information to select a structure for your business.
Your registered company name and your trading name don't have to be the same. Here's how trading names work, the rules to follow, and what you must disclose.
AI tools have changed what one person can build alone. We look at how solo UK founders are using AI to run businesses that once required a team.
Choosing a company name? Some words are restricted or banned. Here's what you can't use, why, and how to check before you register.
Learn how to choose a company name in the UK, shortlist business name ideas and check Companies House, trade marks, domains and social handles.
A plain-English guide on IR35 for newly incorporated contractors and freelancers.
Not sure which business structure to choose? We compare sole trader, private limited company, and PLC, so you can pick the right one from day one.
You don't need an accountant from day one, but there are moments when it becomes essential. Here's how to know when that moment is.
For most founders, the answer is both, in the right combination. We explain what each does, when you need them, and the best options for UK small businesses.
How many shares to issue, ordinary vs alphabet vs preference shares, and what rights shareholders actually have in a UK limited company.
Thinking about bringing on a co-founder? Learn how to structure the relationship, split equity fairly, and protect yourself with the right legal agreements.
Find out whether your limited company or sole trader business needs a business bank account, when to open one and what documents you’ll need.
Thinking about starting a business in 2026? Here's what the data says, what's changed, and how to know if now is the right time for you
The most common mistakes UK founders make when starting and running a limited company, and the straightforward ways to avoid each one.
The real picture of who's starting businesses in the UK in 2026: industries, structures, and the trends shaping new company registrations.
Quick details first, then your AI co-founder takes over.
£100 Companies House fee · no Foundrs formation fee