Service · UK company formation
Open a UK company with Auditaxes UK
We help international founders set up a UK private limited company and fit it into a wider cross-border structure. Our role is advisory and coordinating: we gather the right information, prepare the incorporation with you and stay alongside the company once it is registered.
Who this service suits
- Founders living outside the UK who want a UK company to trade, invoice or hold investments.
- Groups already operating in Switzerland, the UAE or elsewhere that need a UK entity in their structure.
- Entrepreneurs who want the formation planned together with ownership, governance and the next steps of the business — not just a filing.
What a UK company needs
Under the GOV.UK and Companies House guidance, a private limited company needs at least one director, at least one shareholder (or guarantor), its people with significant control identified, a memorandum and articles of association, a company name that meets the naming rules, an appropriate registered office address in the UK nation where it is registered, a registered email address and a SIC code describing its activity.
All directors must verify their identity with Companies House and provide their Companies House personal code when the company is set up.
What company formation does not include
Registering a company is separate from immigration. Owning or directing a UK company does not by itself give anyone the right to live or work in the UK; visas are decided by the Home Office under their own rules.
It is also separate from banking. Banks and payment providers run their own checks and make their own decisions. We help you prepare clear information about the business and its owners, but we cannot promise that an account will be opened.
How we work with you
- 01
Initial consultation
We discuss your activity, where you and your partners are based, and why a UK company makes sense in your overall plans.
- 02
Business and ownership information
We collect the details Companies House requires: directors, shareholders, people with significant control, share structure, activity and addresses.
- 03
Coordinating incorporation
We prepare the documents with you, guide directors through identity verification and coordinate the application to Companies House.
- 04
Ongoing governance
After registration we help you keep records, filings and decisions in order, and connect the UK company with the rest of your structure.
Common questions
Can I set up a UK company while living abroad?
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Yes. GOV.UK does not require directors or shareholders to live in the UK. What the company does need is a UK registered office address and directors who have verified their identity with Companies House.
What is a registered office address?
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It is the company's official address, shown on the public register. It must be an 'appropriate address' where documents delivered by hand or post will come to the attention of someone acting for the company, and it must be in the same UK nation the company is registered in (for example, Scotland for a Scottish company). Home addresses used here become public.
How does identity verification work?
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Every director must verify their identity with Companies House, which gives them a personal code. That code is provided during incorporation to confirm the director has been verified. We explain the process and help you prepare for it; the verification itself is carried out by or through Companies House.
Will I get a UK bank account?
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Opening an account is a decision for the bank or payment provider, after their own checks. We help you present the business and its ownership clearly, but no adviser can guarantee approval.
How long does it take?
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Companies House says it normally processes online applications within 24 hours, although complex applications can take longer. The overall timeline also depends on how quickly ownership information and identity verification are completed.
Do you stay involved after incorporation?
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Yes. We remain alongside the company after registration: records, filings and governance, and connecting the UK company with the rest of your cross-border structure.
Regulatory points on this page summarise official GOV.UK and Companies House guidance. Always check the current rules at the sources below.
Related
Tell us about the company you want to open
Write to us with a short description of your activity and where the owners are based. We will reply to arrange an initial consultation.
contact@auditaxes.uk