Register your limited company,set up properly.

Companies House charges a £50 statutory fee for online incorporation (the official cost). Formation agents typically add £20-£150 on top (£70-£200 total). Accountants generally charge £150-£500 for a full incorporation including HMRC registration and accounting set-up. Our £199 covers everything in one — Companies House, HMRC, software setup, share structure guidance.

Companies House typically approves online incorporations within 3-6 working hours during business days. Same-day approval is common. HMRC corporation tax registration follows within 1-2 working days. From signed engagement to fully trading-ready, our typical timeline is 1-3 working days.

Required: (1) a company name that's not already taken and isn't 'sensitive' (no royal/government implications); (2) a UK registered office address — can be your home, accountant's address, or a virtual office; (3) at least one director (16+, not disqualified); (4) at least one shareholder; (5) details of any 'Persons with Significant Control' (PSCs — usually shareholders holding 25%+). We collect all this through a short questionnaire.

Rough guide: under £30,000 annual profit, sole trader is usually simpler and tax-equivalent or better. £30,000-£50,000, depends on dividend strategy and pension contributions — modelling helps. Over £50,000 profit, limited company is usually more tax-efficient. LTD also offers limited liability (personal assets protected from business creditors), more credibility (some clients/banks prefer LTDs), and easier exit/sale. Sole trader is simpler administratively, with one annual Self Assessment vs LTD's statutory accounts + CT600 + confirmation statement + director's Self Assessment.

Yes — a single-person limited company is the most common UK setup. You'd be the director (running the company), the sole shareholder (owning 100% of shares), and the only Person with Significant Control. You don't need a separate company secretary (that requirement was removed in 2008 for private companies).

PSC = Person with Significant Control. UK companies must maintain a register of anyone who owns 25%+ of shares, controls 25%+ of voting rights, or has the right to appoint/remove a majority of directors. The PSC register is filed at Companies House and updated as ownership changes. Missing or incorrect PSC info is a criminal offence (rarely enforced for first-time errors, but always best to get right). We set this up correctly during registration.

Yes — every UK company must have a registered office address in the UK (where official mail goes). It must be a real physical address (not a PO Box alone), and it's published on the public Companies House register. Many directors use their home address (free but public); others use a virtual office or their accountant's address (typically £30-£100/year). We offer registered office service at £60/year as an add-on.

A director runs the company (legal responsibilities for compliance, accuracy, etc.). A shareholder owns shares in the company (entitled to dividends and votes). One person can be both, neither, or just one — it's flexible. Most single-person UK limited companies have one person as both sole director and sole shareholder. Directors are personally liable for filing accuracy and compliance; shareholders' liability is generally limited to their share investment.

One share at £0.01 nominal value, technically. Most one-person companies issue 100 ordinary £1 shares (£100 total share capital) to keep arithmetic simple. Two-person 50/50 companies typically issue 100 shares (50 each). Share capital can be increased later, and the initial value rarely matters — what matters is the share class structure if you plan to bring in investors or grant EMI options. We'll ask about your plans and structure accordingly.

Yes, this is very common around the £30k-£50k profit point. The process: register the LTD, transfer your business assets across (often goodwill, equipment, contracts), close down sole-trader operation cleanly (final Self Assessment, deregister for VAT if applicable, etc.). There are tax-planning considerations around goodwill valuation and incorporation relief. We handle the whole transition as part of registration if you mention it upfront.

Open a business bank account (most banks need your Companies House certificate). Register for VAT if turnover will exceed £90,000 (or voluntarily). Register for PAYE if employing anyone or paying yourself a salary. Set up bookkeeping (we help with this). File annual statutory accounts, CT600 corporation tax return, and confirmation statement on time. We send you a written summary of all post-incorporation obligations as standard.

Yes — Ailo Accounting is regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Company registration advice is provided by a chartered accountant. We carry professional indemnity insurance and are AML-supervised by ICAEW.