Worldwide
Setting up a company in the UK
A Ltd in 24 hours, no capital requirement, no residency requirement for directors. The address most familiar to Europe and to investors.
At a glance
Corporate tax
19% (up to £50,000) to 25% (above £250,000)
Minimum capital
None (£50,000 for a PLC)
Director residency
Not required
Incorporation
Usually 24 hours
A UK limited company is formed through Companies House, often within 24 hours; there is no minimum capital, directors need not live in the UK, and a founder can complete everything online from Türkiye. Corporate tax runs from 19 to 25 percent depending on the profit band.
London is the jurisdiction investors between Europe and America read most comfortably. For SaaS, fintech and creative ventures it is the European alternative to Delaware. Banking is the hardest step for foreign founders; digital banks and EMIs have largely solved it.
Why here
When this jurisdiction is the right choice.
- The most familiar entity to investors and customers: the Ltd.
- Fully remote formation with no capital or residency condition.
- R&D tax credits, SEIS/EIS investor incentives.
- Common law contracting environment, strong IP protection.
Entity types
Which structure, for whom.
Private Limited (Ltd)
The standard form; limited liability, capital raised through shares.
LLP
Limited liability partnership for professional firms; tax transparent.
PLC
Company that can list publicly; £50,000 capital, two directors, a secretary.
UK establishment
UK branch of a foreign company; registered at Companies House.
Process
Formation step by step.
- 01Name check and SIC activity codes
- 02Director, shareholder and PSC (beneficial owner) details
- 03Registered office address (in the UK)
- 04Companies House filing; usually 24 hours
- 05HMRC corporation tax registration (within 3 months)
- 06Bank or EMI account
- 07VAT registration once the threshold is crossed (£90,000)
- 08PAYE registration if there are employees
After formation
What has to happen every year.
- Annual confirmation statement and accounts filed at Companies House
- Corporation tax return (CT600) and payment
- Identity verification: mandatory for directors and PSCs from 2025
- Audit exemption for small companies; record keeping mandatory
Frequently asked
The in-country registry, licence and agent steps of the formation file run through our licensed formation partners in the relevant jurisdiction. Structure design, contracts, the bank file and the tax and notification effect on the Turkish side are managed by Defensible. Rates and thresholds summarise the headline rules at the time of writing; we check the current text together on your own file.
Where is the company tax resident if I do not live in the UK?
A company registered at Companies House is UK resident; but if it is managed from Türkiye, Türkiye may also claim taxing rights. The tax treaty and documented place of management matter for this reason.
Let's work out which structure fits you in 15 minutes.
Tell us where you sell, who you are and what you are aiming at; we will say in the call which jurisdiction and entity type make sense. Formation itself is a separate engagement, scoped and priced there.
Book a 15-minute call