Simple Company Formation

The main benefit of forming a limited company is the protection provided by limited liability. This means if your business runs into financial trouble, your personal assets will not be at risk. Other benefits include enhanced credibility and tax efficiency.

A company limited by shares is the most popular type of limited company. ‘Limited by shares’ simply means the liability of the owners is limited to the nominal value of the shares issued by the company.

It usually takes 3 to 6 working hours to form a company with 1st Formations; however, this is dependent on Companies House workload on the day, and it can take up to 24 hours.

Yes. One person can form a limited company in the UK. You will need at least one director, who can also be the company’s shareholder (owner).

1. A company name that is not currently registered at Companies House. You can check if your company name is available using our company name checker.
2. A physical address in the UK to use as your registered office address. Most 1st Formations packages include a registered office address service, for example, our Privacy Package.
3. The details of all directors and shareholders, including full names, residential addresses, occupations, dates of birth and nationalities.

1. A limited company must issue at least one share. If there is more than one shareholder, it requires to issue at least one share per shareholder. It is often recommended to issue more than the minimum number of shares to avoid the need to issue more in the future.

No. You can form a company as a non UK resident from most locations in the world. However, you will require to have a UK registered office address, which 1st Formations provides in most our company formation packages. Have a look at our Non-Residents Package.

We accept all major credit and debit cards including Mastercard, Visa, Maestro, and American Express

There is no legal obligation for a limited company to open a business bank account; however, in practice it is almost impossible to operate without one. A limited company is a separate legal entity from its owners, therefore you should keep your personal and business finances separate.

The annual filing requirements for a limited company are the confirmation statement, annual accounts and Corporation Tax Return.

Yes, 1st Formations provide full telephone and email support for all customers during the lifetime of their companies. We also provide an Online Company Manager and a full range of company services including London company address services to help you maintain and develop your company.