If you're looking to start a new business in the UK, you may be wondering how easy it is to open up a new company. If so, then look no further than this handy guide!
Business name
Business names can be registered using your own name, a family name or a business name. A trade name is a name that you use for your business if it is not the same as any of the following:
- Your own personal name;
- The surname of anyone who has an interest in your business;
- The surname of one of your partners or directors if he doesn’t have an interest in the company;
- The trademark ‘company’ when used by more than one company. You must already be trading under this name before you can register it as a trade mark. If you intend to use this for goods and/or services that are on our register we will generally accept them providing they do not infringe any existing trademarks or registered designs (see below). You may also qualify for registration of certain types of generic words and phrases as trademarks but this formality is rarely necessary when registering common words such as ‘London’ or ‘England’ without claim to exclusive rights over their use by others.
Check availability
If you like the name you found, it's time to check that it's available for you. You can do this by using our Domain Availability Checker tool. Enter the name of your new business and see if it's available for registration in England, Scotland or Wales (or Northern Ireland). If your chosen website address isn't available, we'll show you other similar ones that could work instead.
İlayda Birol
Registering your business name
Registered for your business name with Companies House, you can then open your own UK bank account. It’s easy to set one up online, and you won’t even have to step outside your front door. Once you have an account, all money from sales will go into it and out again when paying suppliers and employees.
You can also register for VAT (Value Added Tax) at the same time as registering your company name in England & Wales – a very useful thing to do if you think you might want to sell products or services in other EU countries later on (you don't need to register if all of your income comes from within the UK). You don't need an accountant or lawyer for this either; everything is done online through Companies House. When it comes time to file accounts with Companies House they will ask how long they should keep them on file – 6 months or 3 years are possible options but most businesses opt for 6 months so that there's no need worry about letting them slip out of sight!
Memorandum and articles of association
You'll need to register a memorandum and articles of association with Companies House. The memorandum is the document that sets out the basic details of your company, such as its name and registered address. The articles of association specify how you want your company to be run. They must be signed by at least one director and lodged with Companies House at incorporation, or within 28 days if you're registering with us after incorporation..
Shareholders
Shareholders are the owners of the company. They can be individuals or other businesses, but they must be registered with the company’s register of members unless they hold a small number of shares. You can give shares to your employees or sell them on a stock market. If you’re starting a business in the UK, you may need to appoint directors and shareholders. The document that records who owns what assets (such as land) is called a title deed, which is held by someone called ‘the proprietor’ who can pass it down to their heirs (for example: parents/children).
Directors
You must be a natural person to be a director of your company. If you are under 16 years old, you cannot be a director because the law says that directors must be at least 16 years old.
Directors are responsible for the management of your company and do not have to own any shares in it. The only requirement is that they must read and sign the Articles of Association before becoming directors.
Laine Redpath
Registered office address
The registered office address is the physical location where your business is officially registered. This is an important part of setting up your new company, as it allows you to establish a presence in the UK and open a bank account without having to be physically present in the country. All businesses must have a registered office address, but there are some restrictions:
- The address must be a UK street address (e.g., “1 Street”). Postal codes are not accepted; if you need one for shipping purposes, consider using nearby postcodes instead (e.g., "SW1A 1AA").
- The address must be residential or business-related; residential addresses are preferred because they're generally easier to find on maps than non-residential ones like hotels or restaurants. However, if neither type of residence exists near where you plan on opening up shop then consider renting one temporarily until something else opens up down the road—you can always move out later when more permanent options become available!
Statutory registers
Statutory registers are the most important documents for your business. The statutory register is the register of companies, limited liability partnerships and European companies. It also contains details about foreign companies operating in the UK.
The business registration process in the UK is easy, hassle free
Build your business on the wamo website with just 10 minutes of application. Don't bother with paperwork, waste of time and hundreds of information. You focus on growing your business, let wamo build your company. For more information, check wamo website or download the wamo app from Google Play or App Store.
We hope that you’ve found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time. We’re always happy to help!
