020 3897 2233
8.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday
71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ
Select a package that's right for you.
If you need any assistance or want to ask some questions,
please call our customer service team on 020 3897 2233.
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Digital & Print
Digital and printed company documents. Perfect if you wish to set up a bank account.
£19.99+VAT
Privacy Plus
Digital and printed documents, two address services and and VAT registration. Protects your privacy and comes with some useful extras.
£59.99+VAT
All Inclusive
Digital and printed documents, three address services, VAT registration and Confirmation Statement. Everything your new company needs to get started today!
£99.99+VAT
Limited by Shares
£10 Filing Fee Included
Bank Account
Company Manager Facility
Adwords Voucher
Domain Name
of Incorporation
& Articles of Association
Certificate(s)
Register with First Entries
of Incorporation
Certificate(s)
Covent Garden, London WC2
Covent Garden, London WC2
Registration
& Articles of Association
First Board Meeting
and Notices Package
(prev. the Annual Return)
Address Service
Limited Company Packages
Please Note
All customers who use our address services must provide proof ID and address. Therefore, if you buy the Privacy, Privacy Plus or All Inclusive Packages we will require proof of ID and address, to ensure we fulfil our obligations regarding the Anti-Money Laundering regulations and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
The required documents should be provided within 3 weeks of the date of your company formation or address service order. For further information on ID requirements please click here.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I make a mistake?
Don’t worry! All mistakes can be fixed after your company is formed, and most of the time it will not cost you anything to rectify matters.
To reduce the risk of errors, we recommend you purchase the pre-submission review service - available at a cost of £5.00 during the ordering process. This will ensure one of our experts reviews your company application and corrects any errors before it is submitted to Companies House.
Can I set up a dormant company?
A dormant company is not a type of company that can be registered at Companies House; however, you can make your new company dormant simply by informing HMRC that you have not started trading, and have no plans to do so in the immediate future. Therefore, you would like them to classify your company as dormant. This can be done after you receive your company’s UTR (unique tax reference) number, which is sent to the registered office around two to three weeks after the date of company incorporation.
When do I get my authentication code?
If you register your company with 1st Formations, your company's authentication code and company documents will be sent to you by email as soon as your application is approved by Companies House. The authentication code will also be available to view in your online customer area on our website.
Companies House also sends the authentication code to the registered office address of all new companies - usually within 14 days of the date of incorporation.
Do I need to provide photo ID and proof of address?
You are only required to provide photo ID and proof of address if you purchase a package that includes one of our address services. Therefore, if you buy the Digital or Digital & Print Package, you will not have to provide anything.
If you buy the Privacy, Privacy Plus or All Inclusive Packages, you must provide ID and proof of address. This is to ensure we fulfil our obligations regarding the Anti-Money Laundering regulations and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
Non-Residents Package
The perfect package for Non-UK residents
We have created a unique package for non-residents who wish to set up a private limited company in the UK. Competitively priced at just £134.99 plus VAT, our Non-Residents Package provides online company registration from anywhere in the world in just 3 to 6 working hours (subject to Companies House workload, it may take longer).
What’s included?
Our Non-Residents Package includes limited company formation with Companies House and a full set of digital company documents delivered to you by email. Printed and bound copies of these documents will be delivered to your overseas address by premium courier within two to three days of your company's incorporation. You will also receive three London address services; Registered Office, Service Address (for one person), and a Business Address for a period of one year.
Other benefits include: free access to our secure Online Company Manager, where you can view your company details at any time and inform Companies House of any changes; VAT registration; a Confirmation Statement service at the end of the first year; maintenance of statutory registers; an introduction to a reputable accountant with a free consultation in London or by Skype / telephone; and a Legal Contracts and Notices Package.
How much will I save by choosing this package?
If you were to buy the items included in this package individually, it would cost a total of £548.99. Therefore at a discounted price of £134.99, you will enjoy a huge saving of £414.00 plus VAT.
Non-Residents FAQs
Do I have to live in the UK to register a limited company?
No, you can register a UK limited company from anywhere in the world. The only requirements are that you have one director and one shareholder (the same person can assume both positions) and your company has a registered office address in the UK (included in the Non-Residents Package).
Do I have to use this package to form my company?
No. You can incorporate a limited company using any of our packages; however, this one is specifically designed for non-UK residents and represents the best value for money.
Can I use my home address instead of those provided?
Yes. You can choose to use another address if you would prefer. This applies to your Registered Office, Service Address and Business Address. Please remember, your Registered Office address must be a UK address. The package cost will remain the same should you choose not to use any of the inclusive services.
Will my company mail be forwarded internationally?
All company mail will be forwarded to an address of your choice, anywhere in the world. All mail is covered by one of the three address services included in this package, and will be forwarded at the cost of the Royal Mail postage plus a 15% handling fee.
Do I have to file my company changes with Companies House?
Our free Online Company Manager facility allows you to make changes to your company easily from one centralised login. Just file your updates using our website and we will take care of the rest, making sure everything is kept up to date at Companies House.
This package also includes the preparation and filing of your first Confirmation Statement (previously known as the Annual Return), whereby we will complete your return and ensure it is completed accurately and on time with Companies House.
Will you file my annual accounts?
This package does not cover the filing of company accounts, but we will introduce you to an accountant who can help with this. We have partnered with one of the UK’s top accountancy firms and we will put you in contact with them for a free initial consultation. Please note, you should agree all fees directly with the accountancy firm.
Are there any extra costs?
The only additional charges will be for the forwarding of mail to you at the cost of the Royal Mail postal charge plus 15%.
After the first year, address services can be renewed at the standard cost you see today.
How much will this package cost after the first year?
This package includes three renewable address services and the filing of your Confirmation Statement (previously known as the Annual Return) which can also be renewed on a yearly basis. The cost of renewing all four services after your first year will be £212.00 plus VAT.
Package Features:
Limited by Shares
£10 Filing Fee Included
Company Manager
Certificate of Incorporation
Memorandum & Articles of Association
Share Certificate(s)
Company Register with First Entries
Memorandum & Articles of Association
(prev. the Annual Return)
and Notices Package
(with International Mail Forwarding)*
(with International Mail Forwarding)*
(includes International Forwarding)*
Courier Delivery**
* All mail will be forwarded to you at Royal Mail International postal rates plus 15% handling charge.
** Your printed company documents will be sent to you free of charge by premium courier.
Proof of ID and address
To ensure we fulfil our obligations regarding The London Local Authorities Act, and the current Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, we will require proof of ID and proof of address from clients who use our address services. The required documents are detailed in the welcome email we send all address service customers. For further information on ID requirements please click here.
Lloyds and Barclays Business Bank Accounts
These offers are only available to companies with UK resident directors and shareholders. Companies with overseas or nominee directors and shareholders are not eligible for this offer.
LLP Package
Limited liability partnership package
Our Limited Liability Partnership formation package, at a cost of £34.99 plus VAT, is ideal for any type of professions that would normally operate as a traditional partnership, but whose members require limited liability.
It provides registration with Companies House in just 3 to 6 working hours (subject to Companies House workload, it may take longer) and includes a free draft LLP Agreement, digital and printed LLP documents, and access to 1st Formations online Company Manager, to maintain and update your LLP details.
As soon as Companies House approves your new LLP registration, we will send your Certificate of Incorporation, LLP documents, and a draft LLP Agreement to your email address. If you require a formal LLP Agreement, simply email your completed draft to 1st Formations and we will prepare and deliver two printed copies of the document by 1st class post.
Please note:
- A formal LLP Agreement is not a legal requirement; however, it is essential if the LLP members want to contribute capital and/or share business profits in any way other than equally.
- Company documents are delivered free of charge within the UK. For overseas deliveries, Royal Mail postage rates + 15% will be charged.
- The Barclays and Lloyds Business Bank Account is only available to companies with UK resident directors and shareholders. Companies with overseas or nominee directors and shareholders are not eligible for this offer.
Features:
- Ready to Trade Limited Liability Partnership
- 3 to 6 Hour Online Formation (Subject to Companies House workload)
- Companies House £10 Filing Fee Included
- Email Copy of Certificate of Incorporation
- Email Copy of Draft LLP Agreement
- Email Copy of Company Register with First Entries
- Printed Certificate of Incorporation
- 2 x Printed Copies of the LLP Agreement (if required)
- Free Business Bank Account (optional)
- Free Online Company Manager to Maintain your Companies
- Free Online & Telephone Support for the Life of your Company
- Maintain Statutory Books
- Free .com or .co.uk Domain Name
- £75 Google Adwords Voucher
Frequently asked questions
What is a Limited Liability Partnership?
A Limited Liability Partnership offers its members the security of limited financial liability with the more flexible internal structure offered by a traditional partnership.
Why should I choose to form an LLP?
A Limited Liability Partnership is commonly used by industry professionals who normally work in partnerships, such as solicitors, architects and accountants, but who wish to protect their personal finances by way of limited liability.
Do I need to have a Partnership Agreement?
It is not a legal requirement to produce a Partnership Agreement, though it is recommended. This can help to prevent any disputes over partners' rights.
How many partners should an LLP have?
A Limited Liability Partnership must have at least 2 members (partners) to be registered with Companies House. There is no upper limit to the number of partners an LLP can have.
Limited by Guarantee Package
A company registration package designed for non-profit organisations
Our Limited by Guarantee package, at a cost of just £29.99 plus VAT, is ideal for those who wish to set up a limited company for non-profit purposes - i.e. a club, sporting association, community project, workers' cooperative or membership organisation.
This package provides digital and printed company documents, a free client account on our Online Company Manager, allowing you to update company details and report changes to Companies House, and a free .com or .co.uk domain name for one year.
This package is not suitable to form the following companies:
- A Charity company.
- A company requiring exemption from using the word ‘limited’ in the company name.
- A company using the words Association, Benevolent, Federation, Foundation, Society or Trust in the company name.
- A Right to Manage company.
To set up the above companies, please visit Quality Formations, our sister website with specialist limited by guarantee packages.
Please note: Company documents are delivered free of charge within the UK. For overseas deliveries, Royal Mail postage rates + 15% will be charged.
Features:
- Ready to Trade Limited by Guarantee Company
- 3 to 6 Hour Online Formation (Subject to Companies House workload)
- Companies House £10 Filing Fee Included
- Email Copy of Certificate of Incorporation
- Email Copy of Memorandum & Articles of Association
- Email Copy of Guarantor Certificate(s)
- Email Copy of Company Register with First Entries
- Printed Certificate of Incorporation
- Bound Memorandum & Articles of Association
- Printed Guarantor Certificate(s)
- Free Online Company Manager to Maintain your Companies
- Free Online & Telephone Support for the Life of your Company
- Maintain Statutory Books
- Free .com or .co.uk Domain Name
- £75 Google Adwords Voucher
Frequently asked questions
What is a company limited by guarantee?
A company limited by guarantee is typically used by non-profit organisations. This type of company has guarantees and guarantors rather than shares and shareholders.
Why would I choose this package?
It is ideal for anyone setting up a not for profit company such as a workers’ co-operative, membership organisation, club, or sports association.
A limited by guarantee company structure is very popular for non-profit organisations because it provides limited financial liability to the company owners (guarantors). This means their personal finances are legally protected if the company encounters any financial difficulty or is sued.
What is the difference between a guarantor and a shareholder?
The main difference is that a guarantor will not normally take any profits out of the business in the way a shareholder would. Instead, all profits are usually re-invested in the company to aid the fulfilment of its objectives.
Is this package suitable for setting up a charity?
No - it is unsuitable for setting up a charity because a charitable company requires a special memorandum and articles of association that details the specific objects of the company. The Model articles provided are unsuitable for this purpose.
« 1st Formations had the most useful and competitive packages and their ordering process seemed so much easier than incorporating directly with Companies House. »
1ST FORMATIONS CUSTOMER
What you are buying and when you will get it
CloseWhat you are buying
- A new company registered at Companies House.
- Your Companies House filing fee of £10 paid for you.
- Your Certificate of Incorporation, and other company documents emailed to you instantly.
- Your authentication code emailed to you instantly.
- If printed company documents were included in your package, these will be sent by post.
- Access to a customer area where you can manage your company with Companies House.
- Free support by telephone, email and livechat for the life your company.
When you will get it
- It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete our online company formation application.
- We will then send the application to Companies House immediately.
- Companies House usually take around 3 to 6 working hours to approve a company (dependent on Companies House workload).
- Digital company documents will be emailed to you instantly, printed documents will arrive in 2 to 3 days (if applicable).
- If your order includes VAT registration, this usually takes 10 to 14 days, however it can be longer.
- If you request a business bank account referral, your chosen bank will call you within 48 hours, to invite you to a meeting.
How much it will cost
- The cost of your package is all you require to pay to set up a company.
- The package cost includes the Companies House filing fee of £10.00.
- You may wish to choose additional services, however, these are optional.
Note: Companies House process applications during normal business hours only,
Mon-Fri, 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Information required to form a company
CloseYou will require having the following details
at hand, before starting:
1. Registered Office
This is the official address of your company and it must be a full postal address in the country in which your company is incorporated. You cannot use a PO Box Number.
Companies House and HMRC will use this address to deliver all statutory company mail and it will be displayed on public record.
2. Director’s Details
- Full name
- Date of Birth (Minimum age 16)
- Occupation
- Nationality
- Residential address (not on the public register)
- Service address (residential or other address)
3. Shareholders’ Details (Where the shareholder is a Person with Significant Control)
- Full name
- Date of Birth
- Residential address (not on the public register)
- Service address (residential or other address)
- Nationality
- Nature of control (eg. The person holds more than 50% to 75% of shares.)
- Three Security Details (these act as an online signature)
- First three letters of mother’s maiden name
- First three letters of father’s forename
- First three letters of eye colour
4. Shareholders’ Details (Where the shareholder is NOT a Person with Significant Control)
- Full name
- Service address (residential or other address)
- Three Security Details (these act as an online signature)
- First three letters of mother’s maiden name
- First three letters of father’s forename
- First three letters of eye colour
5. Secretary Details (Not Compulsory)
- Full name
- Date of Birth (must be at least 16 years old)
- Occupation
- Nationality
- Residential address (not on the public register)
- Service address (residential or other address)
6. Person with Significant Control Details (Where the person is not a director, shareholder or secretary)
- Full name
- Date of Birth
- Residential address (not on the public register)
- Service address (residential or other address)
- Nationality
- Nature of control (eg. The person holds more than 50% to 75% of shares.)
Registering a company is a simple 5-step process...
Close1. Choose a company name
This is the official address of your company and it must be a full postal address in the country in which your company is incorporated. You cannot use a PO Box Number.
Companies House and HMRC will use this address to deliver all statutory company mail and it will be displayed on public record.
2. Select a suitable formation package
Choose a package that is most suitable for your type of company and your specific requirements. We have five packages for companies limited by shares; a package suitable for non-residents; a limited by guarantee company package; and an LLP package.
3. Additional Services
After selecting an appropriate formation package you will have the option to add some additional services to your registration. These services are suitable for all types of companies and LLPs.
Other popular items on our additional services list include a Free Lloyds Business Bank Account, VAT & PAYE registration, Pre-Submission Review, Company Seal, and our Legal Contracts & Notices Pack.
4. Checkout
Proceed to checkout and pay using a debit or credit card. You will receive a confirmation email of your purchase, login details to access our Online Company Manager and a receipted invoice.
5. Complete registration
This final stage requires 5 minutes of your time to complete your online company incorporation application. You will be asked to provide your registered office address and details of all company directors and shareholders/members.
© 1st Formations
Registered in England and Wales
Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ
Co. Reg. Nr: 08861249
VAT Reg. Nr: 185 8695 41
Tel: 020 3897 2233
E-mail: info@1stformations.co.uk
