Company registration · United Kingdom
Company registration in the United Kingdom a recognisable company in one to three days
- Support
- from £600
- Registration time
- 1-3 days
- Corporation tax depending on profit
- 19-25%
A British company is registered within days and is accepted by counterparties, marketplaces and payment systems worldwide.
The trade-off is genuine reporting and a public register.
Registration
from £600
Turnkey work by BRIDGES. Government fees and duties appear as a separate line in the estimate at actual rates.
See packages1-3 days
Incorporation with Companies House
19-25%
Corporation tax depending on profit
Public register
Directors and owners are disclosed
Who it suitsUnited Kingdom
Who the United Kingdom suits
Working on the company structure- 01Services and consulting with British and international clients
- 02E-commerce and marketplace sellers
- 03IT companies working with UK and US customers
- 04Agency businesses that need a recognisable brand
- 05Structures preparing to raise investment
Does not suit
- You are counting on privacy: directors and owners are public
- You cannot support real accounting and filings
- You need access to the EU single market and EU VAT
- The plan relies on a company with no substance behind it
Company forms4
Which company to open
The private limited company covers most cases; partnerships solve narrower tasks.
- 01Private Company Limited by Shares · Ltd — the main form
Services, trading, IT, agencies.
Fast incorporation, recognisable status, low state fees.
Directors and persons with significant control are public.
- 02Limited Liability Partnership · LLP
Professional practices and consulting.
Transparent for tax at member level.
Members must report the income in their own jurisdictions.
- 03Public Limited Company · PLC
Large groups and pre-listing structures.
Access to public capital.
Minimum capital and stricter disclosure.
- 04Branch · UK establishment
An existing business entering the British market.
No new legal entity is required.
The parent company carries the liability.
Packagesfrom £600
Three ways to launch
The scope is built from real scenarios. The amount depends on VAT and on how much accounting support you need.
01 · 2-5 days
Company
from $900
A quick start for contracts and invoicing
- Name check and preparation of the incorporation documents
- Filing with Companies House
- Registered office for the first year
- Full set of corporate documents
- Registration for corporation tax
02 · 3-8 weeks
Company, VAT and account
from $2 400
An operating business with real settlements
- Everything in the Company package
- VAT registration and set-up of returns
- Bank or payment institution profile and submission
- Accounting set-up and a reporting schedule
- Support with correspondence with the tax authority
03 · from 4 weeks
Turnkey with accounting
by project
A company with staff and full reporting
- Everything in the Company, VAT and account package
- Payroll registration and administration
- Monthly bookkeeping and filings
- Preparation and filing of annual accounts
- Corporation tax return
Companies House fees and payroll contributions appear as separate lines in the quote.
TaxesUnited Kingdom
Taxes in the United Kingdom
The rate depends on profit; marginal relief applies between the thresholds.
Taxes in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
- 1-3 days
- Incorporation with Companies House
- from $900
- BRIDGES fee
- 19-25%
- Corporation tax depending on profit
- Public register
- Directors and owners are disclosed
- Corporation tax
- 19% on profits up to the small profits limit and 25% above the upper limit.
- Marginal relief
- Applies between the two limits and produces an effective rate between the two figures.
- VAT
- The standard rate is 20%; registration is compulsory once turnover exceeds £90,000.
- Dividends to non-residents
- No withholding tax is charged on dividends paid abroad.
- Reporting
- Annual accounts, a confirmation statement and a corporation tax return are mandatory.
- Obligations at home
- Owning a foreign company creates obligations in the beneficiary country of residence.
Annual upkeep
- Confirmation statement
- Annual accounts
- Corporation tax return
- VAT returns
- Payroll filings
- Registered office
- Register of persons with significant control
- Bank compliance
Companies House fees and payroll contributions appear as separate lines in the quote.
Bank
The bank account after incorporation
British banks are selective, but the payment institution market is wide and works quickly.
- 01What the bank looks at
The activity, the clients, expected turnover, whether there is a UK presence and the source of funds.
- 02Which documents are needed
The corporate set, director identification, contracts and a description of the business.
- 03Where the account is opened
With British banks where there is a local presence, otherwise with payment institutions.
- 04What we do
We prepare the file, choose the institution and run the submission through to the result.
A high street bank usually wants a UK-resident director and a local footprint. Without one, we go to payment institutions — and say so before incorporation.
Stages2-5 days
How the work runs
Timelines are split by who is responsible.
- 01Consultation and structure
Activity, form, VAT, banking, reporting.
One meeting - 02Quote and contract
We fix the scope of work and the amount.
1 day - 03Compliance and documents
Identification and collection of the set.
1-3 days - 04Incorporation
Filing with Companies House and issue of the certificate.
1-3 days - 05VAT registration
Application and issue of the number where required.
2-6 weeks - 06Account and launch
Bank file, submission and account opening.
The institution sets the timing
Result: The outcome is a recognisable British company with corporate documents, a VAT number where needed, an account and a reporting schedule in place.
ComparisonUnited Kingdom
United Kingdom or Ireland
| United Kingdom | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| Corporation tax | 19% up to the small profits limit, 25% above it | 12.5% on trading income |
| EU membership | no | yes |
| VAT | UK VAT, registration threshold £90,000 | EU VAT |
| Incorporation time | 1-3 days | 3-7 days |
| Register transparency | public, including persons with significant control | public |
| Upkeep cost | low | medium |
| Who it suits better | the UK market and marketplaces | the EU market and technology groups |
If your clients are in the EU, Ireland gives access to the single market. If they are British or global, the UK is faster and cheaper.
TeamBRIDGES
Company team
Questions
Registration questions
How long does incorporation take?+
One to three days with Companies House once identification is complete.
What is the corporation tax rate?+
19% on profits up to the small profits limit and 25% above the upper limit, with marginal relief in between.
When must I register for VAT?+
Registration is compulsory once taxable turnover exceeds £90,000; voluntary registration is possible earlier.
Are the directors public?+
Yes. Directors and persons with significant control appear on the public register.
Do I need a UK-resident director?+
Not for incorporation. Banks, however, often want one.
How hard is it to open a bank account?+
A high street bank is difficult without a local presence; payment institutions open accounts quickly.
Is an audit required?+
Only above the statutory size thresholds. Most small companies file unaudited accounts.
Can a non-resident own the company?+
Yes, there are no residency restrictions on shareholders.
What happens if filings are missed?+
Penalties accrue and the company can be struck off the register.
Does the UK give access to the EU market?+
No. For EU VAT and the single market you need a company inside the European Union.
Do I have to declare the company at home?+
As a rule yes: owning a foreign company creates obligations in your country of residence.
What does upkeep cost?+
The confirmation statement, accounting, filings and VAT where applicable. We set it out three years ahead.
A company for your task
Tell us what the company will do: we will check whether the country fits and show the launch and upkeep budget before the contract.
- Other jurisdictionsA comparison of countries for company registration.
- A company in IrelandThe English-speaking route into the European Union.
- Corporate accountsHow an account is opened and what the bank checks.
- CyprusRegistration: 7-14 days · from €2 200
- EstoniaRegistration: 1-5 days · from €900
- Hong KongRegistration: 5-7 days · from $1 600
Company registration
Want a company in the United Kingdom?
Write to us, we will set it up. We will choose the form, calculate the launch and the annual upkeep, register the company and help open the account.
