Setting up a limited company, and what happens after.
Formation, registrations and the routine that follows, explained before you commit to any of it.
GS Associates in Uttoxeter forms limited companies for start-ups and for sole traders moving to a company: name check, Companies House incorporation, director identity verification as a Companies House authorised agent, corporation tax registration, and PAYE or VAT registration where needed. Then we set up the bookkeeping, payroll and filing dates so the company runs properly from day one. Fixed fee, and an honest conversation first about whether a company is right for you.
For start-ups and sole traders going limited
The right structure.
Then the paperwork.
We start with a conversation about what you do, what you expect to earn and where you want the business to go. Only then do we recommend a structure. If a company is right, we deal with the formation.
- Name and structure
- Checking the name is available, choosing sensible share arrangements and recording who controls the company.
- Incorporation and identity verification
- The Companies House application and registered office details, prepared and submitted for you. As a Companies House authorised agent we can also verify each director's identity as part of the formation, with the documents needed and any charge explained in your quote.
- Registrations
- Corporation tax, and PAYE or VAT where they apply, so HMRC knows about the company from the start.
What happens after incorporation
A company that runs
properly from day one.
A certificate of incorporation is the easy bit. What matters is the routine that follows: a separate bank account, bookkeeping from the first invoice, payroll if you pay yourself a salary, and every Companies House and HMRC date in the diary.
We set that up with you, explain what you're responsible for as a director, and then look after it for a fixed monthly fee if you'd like everything in one place.
Company formation
Your questions,
answered.
Should I become a limited company or stay a sole trader?
It depends on your profit, your risk, whether you'll take on staff and how you want to pay yourself. A limited company is legally separate from its owners, which normally limits shareholders' liability, though directors keep their responsibilities and can be personally liable in some circumstances, such as under a personal guarantee. A company also brings more admin and filing. We'll go through the numbers for your situation honestly, including the case for staying as you are.
GOV.UK: setting up a business
What do I need to form a company?
A company name, a registered office address, at least one director and one shareholder, details of who controls the company, and a description of what it does. Directors must verify their identity with Companies House. As a Companies House authorised agent, we can carry out that verification alongside your formation: we'll explain which documents we need, complete the checks and guide you through the next steps, and any verification charge is shown in your written quote. We check the name is available and sensible, prepare the application and register the company for corporation tax.
Companies House: verifying your identity
How do I pay myself from a company?
Usually a mix of salary through payroll and dividends from profit after corporation tax, with everything recorded properly. The company's bank account is the company's; taking money out without recording it correctly is the most common early mistake we see. We set the routine up with you from the start.
What happens after the company is set up?
You'll need a business bank account, a bookkeeping system, a corporation tax registration, possibly PAYE and VAT registrations, and diary dates for the confirmation statement, accounts and tax return. We can set all of that up and then look after it for a fixed monthly fee.
GOV.UK: directors' responsibilities
What does company formation cost?
A fixed fee for the formation and registrations, agreed upfront, plus the Companies House filing fee, which we pass on at cost. If you'd like us to look after the company afterwards, we quote the ongoing fee separately so you can see exactly what each part costs.
Thinking about setting up a company?
Tell us what you do and what you're planning. We'll talk through the options honestly and agree a fixed fee if you go ahead.
