Company Formation and Registration £12.99 | Rapid Formations

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What is company formation?

Company formation is the process of legally incorporating a business as a limited company. It is also known as company incorporation and company registration. Rapid Formations is a leading company formation agent specialising in forming companies online at Companies House – the UK registrar of companies in the UK.

What is a limited company?

A limited company is a business structure that is legally separate from its owners – usually the shareholders and subscribers. The main benefit of forming this entity is to enjoy the status of ‘limited liability’ which means the owners are not personally liable for the financial losses of the business. Other benefits are enhanced corporate image, tax efficiency, investment and lending opportunities, and ease of selling the business.

What is the company formation process?

It could not be easier to set up a limited company or LLP with Rapid Formations. To start the company registration process, simply enter your company name into our name check tool, select a company formation package, add any address services you may require, proceed to checkout and pay, and take 5 minutes to complete your company details.

How long does it take to form a company?

It normally takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete your company application on our website, and then between 3 and 6 working hours for your company registration to be approved, although this can take up to 24 hours – dependent on Companies House workload on the day. If it is important that you have your new company registered as soon as possible, or, on a specific day, we recommend you add the Guaranteed Same Day Service to your order on the Checkout page.

What details do I need to form a company?

To set up a limited company you simply need a company name, the business activity of the company, a registered office address in the UK, and the details of the company directors, shareholders and People with Significant Control (PSC). The beneficial owners of the company, those owning more than 25% of the issued shares, may also be required to provide proof of ID and address. For more information, please have a look at our Required Information Checklist.

Do I need a business bank account?

It is not a legal requirement for a UK registered company to have a business bank account; however, in practice you will find it extremely hard to operate a business without its own bank account. Rapid Formations offers up to 8 business bank accounts with all company registration packages, including Barclays, NatWest, Mettle, Tide, Monzo, Cardone, Cashplus, and Anna. We also offer a business banking solution for overseas customers who wish to set up a UK company – see our Non-Residents Packages for details.

What if I change my mind and don’t need the company?

Approximately half a million companies registered in the UK are dissolved (shut down) every year at Companies House, so if you decide you no longer need your company and want to shut it down, there is no need to worry – it happens fairly often! Rapid Formations can dissolve your company hassle free, at a cost of only £ 69.99 plus VAT. Find out more and order our Company Dissolution Service.

Authorised by Companies House and members of ACRA.

We are one of the UK’s leading company formation agents, authorised by Companies House and a member of
ACRA, the Association of Company Registration Agents. We provide our clients with online incorporation and the following address services: registered office, service address and business mail forwarding address. We are able to deliver documents to Companies House electronically, allowing you to form a limited company online, without the need for paper forms to sign and post.