Limited company formation, done properly
Starting a company is easy. Setting it up correctly is where mistakes become expensive.
Many free formation services can submit the paperwork in minutes. What they don't do is advise on share ownership, director arrangements, tax registrations, or the most tax-efficient way to pay yourself. We do both—the incorporation and the important decisions behind it.
Incorporated within 48 hours and structured correctly from day one.
Book a call to get started
COMPANY FORMATION
Is a limited company right for you?
Setting up a company means registering it as a limited company with Companies House. This creates a separate legal entity, which helps protect owners' personal assets and adds credibility. If you plan to bring in investment, it also lets you raise capital by issuing shares — one reason it's such a popular choice for entrepreneurs.
That said, it isn't the right choice for everyone, and the structure you choose at the start has long-term consequences — for how you pay yourself, what you're required to file each year and how you bring in co-founders or investors.
What you'll need to register a limited company
Your company name
It must be unique and not too similar to an existing incorporated company. We can check availability and advise on suitability before you commit.
Director & shareholder details
Full name, date of birth, nationality, home address, and proof of identity. If there are multiple shareholders, we'll advise on share structure.
Registered office address
Every UK company must have a physical UK address where official correspondence from Companies House and HMRC can be sent. This address will be publicly visible.
Your business activity
A short description of what your company does. This links to a Standard Industrial Classification code (SIC code) — easy to update later if your business evolves.
How it works
Free discovery call
We talk through your plans, your industry, and whether a limited company is the right structure for you. No obligation.
We incorporate your company
If you decide to become a client, we'll handle the Companies House filings and all HMRC registrations — usually within 48 hours.
Ongoing accounting and tax support
If you need ongoing support, we become your accountant — handling corporation tax, VAT, payroll, and year-end accounts, and available by phone or email whenever questions come up.
Meet the founder
Simon is the founder of Simon Maughan & Co. He has spent nearly two decades helping business owners make the right decisions on tax, company structure and growth. After qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2007 and working with KPMG in Edinburgh, he has advised businesses of all sizes — from individuals setting up their first limited company in Oxford to complex multi-entity structures. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the most senior designation ICAEW awards. Clients work directly with him, bringing that experience into every engagement.
What our clients say
Simon has been a huge help to our business since its formation in 2017. He is knowledgeable, friendly, and always quick to respond. He comes with the highest recommendations.
Simon has been an invaluable help at Inner Citadel, always making our accounting processes smooth and stress-free. He takes the time to explain everything clearly, ensuring we fully understand our finances.
Who we work with
Contractors & consultants
Going limited for the first time?
The filing is the easy part — we make sure the decisions around it (share structure, IR35 considerations, how you pay yourself) are right before anything is filed.
- Salary and dividend structure planning
- IR35 considerations built into our advice
- Umbrella vs limited and how to handle a mix of both
Already contracting? If you need ongoing accounting and tax support, see our specialist accounting service for contractors and freelancers.
Founders & spin-outs
Getting the structure right before you scale
Get the structure right before you scale — share allocation, co-founder arrangements, and articles of association that reflect how you will run your business.
- Equity split and share structure between co-founders
- University spin-out considerations — IP and academic involvement
- R&D considerations built into our advice
- Structured with future investment in mind
Sole traders
Incorporating an existing business?
Incorporating an existing sole trader business is a common step as turnover grows — it typically reduces your tax bill and separates your personal assets from business liabilities.
- Sole trader-to-Ltd transition handled end to end
- VAT and PAYE setup where needed
Once your limited company is incorporated, we handle the accounting day to day — see our small business accounting service for more information.
Prefer to talk?
We offer a free introductory call to discuss your needs around new limited (ltd) company formation.
Common questions about forming a limited company
We typically incorporate within 48 hours of receiving the information we need from you. Same-day Companies House registration is available if you need it urgently — there is an additional fee charged by Companies House for this service.
You can register directly with Companies House yourself for £100, and many people do. But the real value of using a chartered accountant for company formation isn't the filing — it's the decisions around aspects such as share structure, taxes to register for from the start, how to pay yourself tax-efficiently, and what records to keep. Getting these wrong at the outset can sometimes prove costly to unpick later.
Online services are good at one thing: filing the incorporation quickly and cheaply, sometimes for free. If your situation is simple and you already know how you want the company structured, they'll do that job perfectly well.
What they don't do is tell you whether the structure is right in the first place — how to split shares between co-founders, which taxes to register for from day one, how to pay yourself tax-efficiently, or whether you should be incorporating at all yet. These are decisions, not form fields, and an app will simply file whatever you enter. With us the filing is included, but the value is the advice around it: you deal directly with a Fellow of the ICAEW who makes sure the company you end up with is the right one for where your business is going.
At minimum: annual accounts filed with Companies House, a corporation tax return filed with HMRC, and an annual confirmation statement. Depending on turnover the company may also need to file VAT returns and payroll submissions. We handle all of this as part of our ongoing service and remind you well ahead of every deadline.
Some industries carry specific obligations. If you work in construction, you'll likely have additional obligations under the Construction Industry Scheme — monthly CIS returns and subcontractor verification on top of the above. See our construction accounting service for more information.
Yes — our Oxford office address is available to use as your registered office at no extra cost. This is included as standard for all ongoing accounting clients. Your home address remains private and off the public Companies House register.
It depends on your income level, risk profile, and plans for the business. A limited company tends to become more tax-efficient when the business owner has personal income from other sources above £50,000 or the business is looking to reinvest profits. A limited company also separates your personal assets from business liabilities. We'll give you a more tailored recommendation on the discovery call, rather than a generic answer.
Most directors take a combination of a small salary (up to the National Insurance threshold) and dividends from company profits. This is typically more tax-efficient than taking a full salary. We set up your payroll and dividend structure from day one, and review it with you annually.
Yes — we help clients set up limited companies across Oxfordshire, including Abingdon, Witney, Banbury, Didcot, and Bicester, as well as clients in London and further afield. Most of our work happens remotely by phone and email. If you'd prefer to meet in person, we are more than happy to meet at your local office or our Oxford office.
Ready to set up your limited company?
Whether you're a founder, a contractor going limited, or a sole trader thinking about incorporating — every company we form starts with a conversation.
Book your free call