The United Kingdom encourages and promotes entrepreneurship. According to the Best Countries for Entrepreneurs report done by the US News & World Report, the UK is the fourth-best country in the world for entrepreneurs.
Starting a business in the United Kingdom can be difficult, especially if you are not a European Union citizen. In this article, we’ll cover all you need to know about starting a business in the United Kingdom, including the various forms of company structures, tax, administration, and more
UK Company Formation
Registered Address – Renewed Yearly
Scanning/Emailing Post – Renewed Yearly
Companies House Formation
HMRC Tax Registration
Bank Account Opening
UK Company Formation + 1 Year Accounting
Corporation Tax
Confirmation Statement
Monthly Transaction (QuickBooks)
End of Year Accounts
Self-Assessment Registration
Self-Assessment Yearly Filing
Coming up with a name for your business is an important step as it shows the personality of your brand and helps you stand out. Your name should be unique and appeal to your target audience – and it’s your chance to be creative.
It's also worth understanding:
• how to define your brand so you can stand out from your competitors.
• what you need to do to protect your intellectual property, including any patents and trademarks
You can see if the name you would like to register is available, by searching companies house In terms of forward planning, it is also worth searching to see if the corresponding domain name is available for the name which you would like to use. The last thing you want is to choose a name and then realise the website domain name is not available!
After you’ve worked out what you need to do for tax, it’s important to stay organised so you can meet your tax obligations at various points throughout the tax year.
If you don’t have a record-keeping system, you’ll spend a lot of time sorting paperwork when you have to do your Self Assessment – valuable time that could be spent running your business, or on relaxing and recharging.
Firstly, it’s a good idea to keep your business and personal finances separate. That’s because allowances like tax-deductible expenses can only be for business purposes – it’s much harder to separate money coming in and out when you’re using one account.
What’s more, there’s lots of software available that can make record-keeping much easier. Software can do tasks like create and send invoices automatically, and monitor your income and outgoings.
Finally, you’re required to keep business records for a number of years. If HMRC asks for them, accurate and organised records can help keep you out of trouble in the event of a tax investigation
There is no legal obligation for a limited company to have its own bank account, but it is better to have one.
Business finances must be accurate and transparent, so a separate account will make it easier to keep track of your income, expenditure, and available profits. This will be of great help when you are preparing annual accounts and tax returns each year.
If you are interested in any of the services above please do not hesitate to contact us. Alternatively, if there is a service not listed that you require, RDS Consultants may still be able to help. We look forward to working with you and improving your business.
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