Company formation
A UK limited company at Companies House in 24–48 hours, with the right share structure and officers from day one.
For overseas companies
Set up in the UK without the guesswork
A UK subsidiary or branch, registered address, Revolut Business account, VAT, payroll and ongoing books — one London finance team that handles it all, in your time zone.
No UK director neededCompanies House in 24–48 hoursID verification handled by us (ACSP)Revolut Business accountFixed monthly fees
Working with founders inIndiaUAE and Saudi ArabiaGermany, France and the NetherlandsUnited StatesSingapore and Hong Kong
Fixed quote
Get a fixed quote
Tell us where the parent company is and what the UK operation has to do. You’ll get a written fixed fee — set-up and the first year’s running costs — within one UK working day.
No obligationAnswered by an accountantFee agreed before work starts
Peter Allen — Director, City SolutionAnswers these personally. More than a decade running UK books for founders who aren’t in the UK.
Everything, in one place
What we set up — and keep running
Most firms stop at incorporation. We stay embedded as your UK finance team, so nothing falls between the cracks.
Registered office address
A London registered office and service address, with statutory mail scanned and forwarded to you.
UK bank account support
We set most clients up with Revolut Business — a fully licensed UK bank that onboards non-resident directors online — and prepare the application so it goes through first time. Subject to eligibility; approval can’t be guaranteed.
VAT registration and returns
We tell you whether — and when — you must register, then file every quarterly return on time.
Payroll and PAYE set-up
Hire your first UK employee properly: PAYE scheme, pension auto-enrolment, and monthly payslips.
Bookkeeping and accounts
Clean monthly books in Xero, plus statutory accounts and Corporation Tax return every year.
Ongoing compliance
Confirmation statements, registers, and every Companies House and HMRC deadline tracked for you.
Not sure what you need?
Tell us where you are and what you sell. We’ll map out the exact steps on a 30-minute call.
How it works
Four weeks from first call to first invoice
Every step has an owner, a date, and a plain-English explanation. You never chase us.
01
Discovery call
Day 1Thirty minutes on where you are, what you sell, and who’ll run the UK side — including whether you already have a UK tax presence and whether a subsidiary or branch fits. You leave with a written plan and a fixed quote.
02
Formation and address
Days 2–4We collect identity documents securely, register the company, and set up your London registered office. Certificate in your inbox.
03
Bank, VAT and tax registrations
Weeks 1–4Revolut Business account opened (subject to eligibility; traditional banks where you qualify). VAT and Corporation Tax registered with HMRC. EORI if you import.
04
Live — and looked after
OngoingBookkeeping, returns, and filings run every month. You get a shared deadline calendar and one person to email.
Where you are
Built for founders who aren’t in the UK yet
The treaty, the social security position and what your home regulator expects all change the set-up. Pick your country.
India
Setting up a UK company from India
India is our largest source of new UK companies — SaaS founders who want a GBP-invoicing entity, exporters who need a UK importer of record, and IT services groups opening a London front door for European clients.
Read more →United Arab Emirates
Setting up a UK company from the UAE
From Dubai and Abu Dhabi we see two patterns: trading groups opening a UK arm for European customers, and family offices wanting a London company for property, investment or a UK-facing brand.
Read more →United States
Setting up a UK subsidiary from the United States
US companies usually arrive with a signed UK customer or a first UK hire, and a CFO who wants the entity to disappear into the group’s existing processes.
Read more →Germany
Setting up a UK company from Germany
Since Brexit the UK is a third country for German exporters, and the friction shows up as VAT, customs and returns.
Read more →Ireland
Setting up a UK company from Ireland
Britain is Ireland’s largest export market and, since Brexit, a customs border. A GB entity with its own EORI turns that back into a domestic sale.
Read more →Netherlands
Setting up a UK company from the Netherlands
Dutch exporters felt Brexit at the border first. A UK importer of record with postponed VAT accounting fixes it.
Read more →France
Setting up a UK company from France
A UK counterparty for British customers, the customs border handled, and UK — not French — employment law for UK hires.
Read more →Singapore
Setting up a UK company from Singapore
Usually the first step into Europe: same language and company law, different tax rates, no social security agreement.
Read more →Australia
Setting up a UK company from Australia
Tariff-free goods under the FTA, the Youth Mobility Scheme for early hires, and what British marketplaces expect.
Read more →Canada
Setting up a UK company from Canada
Common law, exempt-surplus dividends, CPP coverage for secondees and T1134 reporting — the familiar European market.
Read more →Pricing
Fixed fees, in pounds, no surprises
Packages save 15–25% against buying services individually. Move up or down as your UK business grows.
Launch
From£1,950one-off+ disbursements at cost
One-off. Incorporated, addressed and ready to trade — with your accountant on the first call.
- Company formation at Companies House
- Registered office for 12 months
- Revolut Business account set-up
- VAT registration assessment
- Corporation Tax registration
- One onboarding call with your accountant
Establish
From£750/ month
After Launch: your books and filings handled, every month.
- Follows Launch — company already live
- Monthly bookkeeping in Xero
- Quarterly VAT returns
- Confirmation statement and registers
- Statutory accounts and CT600
- Named accountant, one-day replies
- Payroll and PAYE — optional add-on from £95 / month
Embedded
From£1,500/ month
A full UK finance team, without the hires.
- Everything in Establish
- Payroll and pensions for up to 10 staff
- Monthly management accounts
- Group reporting to your HQ format
- Quarterly planning call
- Priority replies within four hours
All fees exclude VAT. Launch also excludes disbursements — Companies House and other third-party fees, charged at cost. Bank set-up subject to eligibility; approval can’t be guaranteed. Compare packages in full
Rave reviews
Founders who’ve already made the move
“We had a UK company, a bank account and our first VAT return done before our UK sales lead even started. Nobody in our team touched a form.”
“Post-Brexit VAT was the thing we dreaded. They explained it once, set it up, and it just runs every quarter.”
“Calm, precise, and always available at a time that works for Dubai. That’s rarer than it should be.”
Got questions?
Your FAQs answered
Do I need to live in the UK or have a UK director to set up a UK company?
No. A UK limited company can be owned and directed entirely from abroad. You do need a UK registered office address — which we provide — and a person of significant control declared at Companies House.
How long does it take to set up a UK company from overseas?
Incorporation is typically 24–48 hours once we have your identity documents. Bank accounts are the slow part: two to four weeks depending on the provider and your home country.
Do I have to register for UK VAT straight away?
Not always. UK-established businesses register at £90,000 of taxable turnover, but non-established businesses selling into the UK often have no threshold. We’ll tell you which applies to you before you sell anything.
Can you help me open a UK business bank account from abroad?
Yes. We set most clients up with Revolut Business, which onboards non-resident directors online and is now a fully licensed UK bank with FSCS protection. We prepare the application and handle the follow-up questions. We can’t guarantee approval — no one honestly can — but we know exactly what Revolut looks for.
What checks do you run before taking us on?
We verify the identity of every director and anyone owning 25% or more, map ownership to the real people behind it, screen against sanctions lists, and ask what the business does and where the money comes from. It is a legal requirement for UK accountants and it protects you: the companies we set up are ones banks and customers trust. For a legitimate business it takes about a day and runs alongside incorporation. See who we work with.
Who is City Solution?
Our parent firm — a London bookkeeping, payroll and advisory practice that embeds itself into startups as their finance team. UK Establishment is the same people, focused on companies arriving from overseas.
“They have been an invaluable help to my company and meant I can concentrate on gaining new business, safe in the knowledge the important financials are being taken care of.”