Question 1

Can I set up a company in England as a foreigner?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can set up a UK Limited without living in the UK: the director must be 16 or over but does not have to live in the UK, and one shareholder is enough. You need a registered office in England or Wales and, since 18 November 2025, identity verification of every director with Companies House, which can be done online with a biometric passport from any country. Registration runs online. If you run the company from your country of residence, it may be taxable there, in Germany for example under § 1 KStG; we clarify this before incorporation.

Question 2

How much does it cost to set up a company in the UK?

Accepted Answer

The Companies House fee is GBP 100 for online registration, GBP 124 by post. Every year the confirmation statement follows (GBP 50 online), plus the registered office, bookkeeping and the tax return. We quote our own fees in a written offer before any engagement; government fees are shown separately.

Question 3

Do I need to travel to the UK?

Accepted Answer

No. Registration with Companies House runs online, and so does identity verification: through GOV.UK One Login, free of charge with a biometric passport, or through an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP). For the business account we support you with the account opening; whether the provider opens the account is its own decision.

Question 4

Ltd or LLP: what is the difference?

Accepted Answer

The Ltd (private limited company) is a corporation: it pays Corporation Tax itself, and one shareholder and one director are enough. The LLP (limited liability partnership) is a partnership with limited liability and needs at least two members; it is tax-transparent, so each member pays tax on their own share of the profits. If you set up alone, an LLP needs a second member, for example a company of your own.

Question 5

Do I need a UK address?

Accepted Answer

You need a registered office in England or Wales; London is possible but not required. It must be a physical ‘appropriate address’: the company is made aware of incoming post, and the sender can get confirmation of delivery; a PO box is not enough. You also need a registered email address, which Companies House does not publish. Strasia Group provides you with a London address.

Question 6

Does the director of a UK Limited have to live in the UK?

Accepted Answer

No. At a Ltd the managing director is called the director; they must be 16 or over but do not have to live in the UK. The director’s name and service address are public on the register; their home address does not have to appear there. The director remains legally responsible for accounts and filings, even when bookkeeping and deadlines are handed to us.

Question 7

How is a UK Ltd taxed if I live in Germany?

Accepted Answer

It depends on where the Ltd is managed. In the UK it pays Corporation Tax: 19% on profits up to GBP 50,000, 25% above GBP 250,000, with marginal relief in between. If the key decisions are made in Germany, the place of management is there (§ 10 AO), and the Ltd is subject to unlimited corporation tax in Germany on all its income (§ 1 KStG). If tax is your only reason for the Ltd, it then does little for you. How much tax is due in the end depends on residence, place of management and documentation; we review this with you in the initial consultation.

Question 8

How long does company formation in the UK take?

Accepted Answer

Registration with Companies House is the quick part, faster online than by post. Before that, every director needs identity verification. Opening the account usually takes longer, because each provider runs its own checks and decides. That is why we do not quote a fixed timeline; in the first consultation we tell you what to expect.

Question 9

Can I set up a UK Limited on my own?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A Ltd needs at least one shareholder and one director, and that can be the same person; as the only shareholder you own 100% of the company. A private limited company does not need a company secretary. An LLP, by contrast, needs at least two members.

Question 10

What ongoing duties does a UK Limited have?

Accepted Answer

At least once every 12 months you file the confirmation statement with Companies House (GBP 50 online). Annual accounts are due 9 months after the financial year ends, the first ones 21 months after registration. Corporation Tax must be paid 9 months and 1 day after the accounting period ends, and the Company Tax Return filed after 12 months. Changes to directors and PSCs must be reported to Companies House. Late filing leads to penalties; we can take over bookkeeping and deadlines for you.

Question 11

Can I get a business account for the UK Limited?

Accepted Answer

The provider decides: each bank and payment provider checks who owns the company, where the money comes from and who your customers are. Nobody can promise approval or a timeline. We support you with the account opening and prepare the application with you, for example with Wise, Revolut Business, Payoneer or for an international account (e.g. Singapore).

Question 12

Does a UK Limited have to register for VAT?

Accepted Answer

Yes, once taxable turnover over the last 12 months goes above GBP 90,000, or is expected to within the next 30 days; voluntary registration is possible earlier. The standard rate is 20%. If you and your business are based outside the UK and you supply goods or services to the UK, HMRC requires registration regardless of turnover. Whether that applies to your Ltd we check with you.

Legal form	private company limited by shares (Ltd), registered with Companies House; shareholders are liable only up to the value of their investment source
Director	at least one, aged 16 or over; does not have to live in the UK; a company secretary is not required source
Shareholders	at least one, who can also be the director; no fixed minimum capital, the value of a share can be set freely (for example GBP 1) source
Identity verification	mandatory for new directors and PSCs since 18 Nov 2025 (Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023); online via GOV.UK One Login, including with a biometric passport from any country, or through an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP) source 1 source 2
Registered office	a physical address in England or Wales (for a company registered in England and Wales) that is an ‘appropriate address’, no PO box; plus a registered email address, which is not published source
Incorporation fee	GBP 100 online with Companies House, GBP 124 by post; this is the government fee, our services are quoted separately in a written offer source
Corporation Tax	19% (small profits rate) on profits up to GBP 50,000, 25% (main rate) on profits above GBP 250,000, marginal relief in between; the thresholds are reduced for associated companies source
Confirmation statement	at least once every 12 months, no later than 14 days after the review period ends; GBP 50 online, GBP 110 by post source
Accounts and tax return	first accounts 21 months after registration, then 9 months after the financial year ends, filed with Companies House; pay Corporation Tax 9 months and 1 day, file the Company Tax Return 12 months after the accounting period ends source
PSC register	anyone holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, or otherwise controlling the company, is reported as a PSC at incorporation and appears on the public register (not their home address) source
UK LLP	at least two members (designated members), companies can be members; each member pays tax on their own share of the profits; registration GBP 100 via software, GBP 124 by post source

Criterion	UK Ltd	UK LLP	Hong Kong	Singapore	Dubai
Corporate Tax	19–25%	none (transparent)	8.25–16.5%	17% (effective from ~4.25%)	9% above AED 375,000
Capital Gains Tax	via Corporation Tax	at member level (Capital Gains Tax)	0%	0%	0%
VAT	20%	20%	0%	9%	5%
Minimum Capital	No minimum	No minimum	No minimum	S$1	No minimum
100% Foreign Ownership	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Free Zone)

Company Formation
UK Limited / UK LLP

UK limited company: key facts

A UK Limited makes sense if you serve clients in the UK

UK LLP: at least two members, tax-transparent

A UK Limited needs no fixed minimum capital and can be 100% yours

Incorporation Process

Consultation & Name Check

Identity verification with Companies House

Documents & Registration

Registered Address & Company Secretary

Support with account opening

Payment providers

Accounts and payment providers: the provider decides

Where you run the Ltd from matters for tax: the example of Germany

Frequently asked questions about UK company formation

Next step: the first call

Corporate tax compared

UK Ltd and LLP compared with Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai

The Pathfinder shows which formation fits your case

A first assessment in 2 minutes: which location fits your goals

Speak with Our Team

Send a Message

Company FormationUK Limited / UK LLP