Generally speaking, the regulatory environment in the UK is quite business-friendly and the most common entity for doing business is that of a UK ltd company. A company may be limited by shares or, in certain cases, by guarantee, and carries the suffix “limited” (Ltd) or “public limited company” (plc). A company may also be unlimited but this is rarely used in practice. Before a plc may commence business it must apply for a certificate to commence business and to borrow. In order to obtain this it must have a minimum authorised share capital of £50,000 with not less than 25% of the nominal value “paid up”, that is, the company needs to have received value of that amount. Shares in a plc are freely transferable and may be listed on a stock exchange to raise finance from the general public. Such companies are referred to as “quoted” or “listed”. Conversely, shares in a private company are transferable only in accordance with the company’s own internal regulations as set out in the articles of association. This latter form of company is therefore the one most frequently favoured by family businesses and overseas investors. A limited company can be formed with minimum difficulty.

A UK company formation or a UK company registration is fairly straight forward process. We could incorporate a UK ltd company for you and help you establish your business in the UK starting with opening a bank account, providing you with a registered address and nominee directors, advising you on UK company law and being your business advisor.

Please contact us for a free initial consultation