Private limited companies are required to pay Corporation Tax on all forms of taxable income. To do so, a company must be registered with HMRC as ‘active’ for Corporation Tax purposes. This must be done no later than 3 months after carrying on any type of business activity, which includes: Buying and selling goods and services Renting…
Companies House displays the names and shareholdings of all company owners on public record. The first shareholders, who are also referred to as ‘subscribers’, must also provide a service/contact address. However, any shareholders who join a company after incorporation do not have to provide address details. Update shareholder information with an annual return If any…
You have lots of different options regarding the number of shares you can issue when setting up a limited company. A minimum of one must be issued during the company formation process. If you are registering a company with more than one shareholder (member), you must issue at least one per person. There is no upper limit…
There is no longer a legal requirement for limited companies to appoint a company secretary, unless their articles of association states otherwise. If you registered a private company before April 6th 2008, your articles will contain this provision. However, the members (shareholders or guarantors) can remove it at any time by passing a special resolution. If you do…
Shortly after your new company registration has been approved by Companies House, you should hold a board meeting of the directors. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for the directors to discuss the formalities of the new business, consult the articles of association, and determine their respective duties and responsibilities. You…
Limited company names are subject to certain restrictions and requirements under the Companies Act 2006 and the Company and Business Names (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2009. The secondary legislation that specifically governs the use of sensitive words and expressions is the Company, Limited Liability Partnerships and Business Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014. These statutory regulations…
This aspect of limited company formation confuses a lot of people, so you’re not alone in wondering what the difference is between a service address and a registered office. These two addresses are completely different with unique purposes and requirements. A service address is required by all company directors, subscribers, company secretaries, LLP members and PSCs…
Limited companies are legally required to keep and maintain a number of statutory registers and accounting records. It is the responsibility of the director (or company secretary, if one is appointed) to make sure these registers and records are accurate, up-to-date and made available for public inspection at the company’s registered office address or Single Alternate…
A limited company is a separate entity in the eyes of the law, just like an individual person. This means that you cannot simply take money out of a limited company account like it was your own personal bank account. All finances legally belong to your company in the first instance, so you must follow certain…
The memorandum and articles of association are two constitutional documents that all limited companies are required to have when they incorporate at Companies House. The memorandum states the names of each subscriber (the very first shareholders or guarantors who become members during the company formation process) and their intention to form and join the business. The articles of…
A limited liability partnership is designed for businesses that usually operate as a traditional partnership. This tends to be accountancy firms, solicitors, dentists, veterinary practices, architects, chartered surveyors, medical practitioners and other professional services firms. Since the introduction of the limited liability partnership format in 2001, these types of businesses are able to operate as LLPs and…
Limited companies and LLPs share many similarities, most notably the reduced financial responsibility of the owners. However, they do have significant differences as well, namely: Capital investment opportunities. Flexibility of internal structure and members’ rights. The allocation and taxation of business profits. Choosing the most appropriate legal structure will depend entirely upon the kind of…
