If you’re considering starting a company in the UK, there are certain rules to follow during registration. Among other specifications, you’ll need a compliant company name and an appropriate registered office address.
After incorporation, companies and directors have a number of ongoing legal obligations, which can be challenging to stay on top of and carry out correctly.
Luckily, a company registration service like Rapid Formations can make starting and running a business much more manageable. Read on to find out how.
5 Company Registration Services to Kickstart Business
1. Company Name Checker
There are several rules and restrictions concerning UK company names. To protect businesses and the general public, all company names must:
- Be unique (not similar or ‘too alike’ another registered company name)
- Avoid sensitive or offensive words and expressions
- Avoid prohibited symbols and punctuation
- Be under 180 characters
- Not suggest a connection to an official or government body
- End with ‘Limited’ or ‘LTD’
The best way to check if your ideal company name is available and compliant is to use the company name checker on a company registration service’s website, such as Rapid Formations. You’ll receive an immediate response as to whether that name is free to use. If it is, you can secure it within 24 hours.
2. Company Formation Packages
Something a company registration service offers that Companies House doesn’t are formation packages. These packages are tailored to different company types and include additional services to make starting a business easier.
For example, at Rapid Formations, all our packages include the following extras as a minimum on top of company registration:
- Digital company registers with first entries
- Free business bank account
- Free website domain name
- Free business telephone number for three months
- Free telephone support during your company’s lifetime
- Filing of your first confirmation statement
Not only do formation packages provide greater support during the setup process, but they also provide better value for money.
3. Company Secretarial Services
What happens after you’ve registered your business? Companies are legal entities in their own right, with rules and regulations that apply to them.
The same goes for limited company directors. As company officers, directors are, amongst other legal duties, responsible for maintaining statutory registers and filings, which have specific rules and deadlines. Failure to comply with these rules is an offence and could lead to financial penalties and even disqualification.
Taking these obligations on can be stressful. But you’ll be pleased to hear that company registration services offer the support you need through dedicated company secretarial services.
Whether you need to make company changes, need help preparing registers or company accounts, or want to file a confirmation statement, company registration services can do this for you.
4. Address Services
When starting a business in the UK, you must provide various company and officer addresses. Mainly, the company will need an appropriate registered office address in the same part of the UK where it’s registered.
If you don’t have an official place of business (i.e. you work from home), you may use your residential address. However, we advise against this, as the registered office address appears on the public register, putting your personal location at risk. A home address can also appear unprofessional to customers, as the registered office address must be stated on your website, letterheads and invoices.
You’ll also need to provide a service address where company officers are to receive their statutory government mail. This address can be anywhere in the world. It may also be your residential address, but we don’t recommend this for the same reasons as above.
A company registration service can help if you don’t have a suitable address for either of these purposes. You can use the provider’s address as your registered office and/or service address for a compliant, credible, and prestigious business image.
5. Educational Resources
Last but not least, a good company registration service is a highly valuable source of educational information that makes starting and running a business in the UK easier. They often have a blog hub with helpful articles about accounting and tax, compliance, business news and advice, and more.
They also typically share newsletters, insightful videos, and social media posts that answer the questions you may be wondering about.
If there is something specific you need help with and can’t find what you’re looking for, you can always contact the experts at a company registration service.
Conclusion
The UK is one of the easiest and cheapest countries for starting a business. However, understanding company names, addresses, and legal compliance rules can be tricky. It can also be difficult to find valuable and reliable educational sources to support your journey beyond the startup stage.
