Start your business on the right foundation — from day one
Forming a limited company takes minutes online. Forming one correctly — with the right structure, the right share allocation, the right tax registrations, and a clear understanding of your obligations as a director — takes expertise. Hulljady Chartered Accountants handles the entire process, so your business starts the way it means to go on.
WHAT WE DO
Company formation services for new and growing businesses
From choosing the right company name to filing your first set of accounts, Hulljady provides end-to-end support for business owners starting out — and for established businesses restructuring or expanding.
Limited Company Incorporation
We handle the full incorporation process with Companies House — memorandum and articles of association, director and shareholder appointments, registered office address, and same-day electronic filing where required. Your certificate of incorporation is typically issued within hours.
Share Structure & Shareholder Agreements
We advise on the appropriate share classes, voting rights, and dividend allocation mechanisms for your business — whether you are a sole director-shareholder or entering into a business partnership. Where required, we work alongside your solicitor to put a formal shareholder agreement in place.
Corporation Tax Registration
Every new limited company must register for Corporation Tax with HMRC within three months of starting to trade. We handle the registration, advise on your accounting period, and ensure HMRC has all the information it needs from the outset.
PAYE Scheme Registration
If you are taking a director's salary — which most limited company directors should — you need a PAYE scheme in place before the first payment. We register your scheme, advise on the optimal director salary level, and integrate your payroll from day one.
VAT Registration
We advise on whether immediate VAT registration makes sense for your business — even below the £90,000 threshold — and handle the full registration process. We also advise on which VAT scheme is most appropriate for your trading model from the outset.
Registered Office & Company Secretarial
We provide a professional registered office address for your company — keeping your home address off the public register — and manage your ongoing Companies House filing obligations, including confirmation statements and statutory registers.
KEY FACTS
What every new limited company needs to know
Incorporation triggers a series of legal and tax obligations with fixed deadlines. Missing them in your first year sets a poor precedent with HMRC and Companies House — and can result in penalties before you have had time to get established.
3 months — Corporation Tax registration deadline You must notify HMRC that your company has started trading within three months of doing so. Failure to register on time can result in a penalty and interest on any tax that becomes due.
9 months + 1 day — First corporation tax payment Your first corporation tax payment is due nine months and one day after the end of your first accounting period — which may be shorter or longer than 12 months depending on when you incorporated.
12 months — First accounts filing deadline Your first set of statutory accounts must be filed at Companies House within 12 months of your company’s accounting reference date. Subsequently, the deadline is nine months after each year-end.
£90,000 — VAT registration threshold You must register for VAT once your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period. Voluntary registration below this threshold is worth considering if your customers are VAT-registered businesses.
Note: Your company’s accounting reference date — the date your financial year ends — is set automatically by Companies House as the last day of the month one year after incorporation. It can be changed, and for many businesses it makes sense to do so. Hulljady advises on the optimal year-end date for your circumstances and makes the change where appropriate.
HOW WE WORK
Formation packages built around your business from the start
We do not simply file your company at Companies House and hand you a certificate. Our formation packages are designed to get your business genuinely ready to trade — with every registration in place, every obligation understood, and a clear plan for the first year.
Sole Director — Standard Incorporation
Company formation, corporation tax registration, PAYE setup, registered office address, and a new director advisory session. Everything you need to start trading as a limited company with confidence.
Multi-Shareholder Businesses
All of the above, plus detailed share structure advice, multiple shareholder appointments, and coordination with your solicitor on a shareholder agreement where required. Essential where two or more people are going into business together.
Sole Trader to Limited Company Conversion
For established sole traders incorporating for the first time — we manage the transition from sole trader to limited company, advising on the optimal timing, transferring assets where appropriate, closing your existing HMRC registrations, and opening new ones under the company.
Contractor & Freelancer Setup
Company formation optimised for contractors and freelancers — including IR35 status assessment, director salary and dividend structure advice, expenses policy, and integration with a compliant umbrella or personal service company structure where appropriate.
Property Investment Company
Specialist advice on the formation of a limited company for property investment — covering the stamp duty land tax implications of transferring existing properties, the mortgage lender landscape for limited company buy-to-let, and the most appropriate share and ownership structure for your portfolio.
Group & Holding Company Structures
For businesses looking to establish a holding company above an existing trading company, or to create a group structure for multiple trading entities — we design and implement the structure, advise on the tax implications, and handle all Companies House filings.
WHY HULLJADY
More than a formation agent — a long-term financial partner
Any website can register a company for you. What they cannot do is tell you whether you should, how to structure it, what it will cost you in tax, and what you need to do next. That is where Hulljady is different.
Our company formation service is the beginning of a relationship, not a transaction. Every business we incorporate becomes a client we support through their first set of accounts, their first VAT return, their first payroll run, and every tax planning decision that follows. We are invested in getting the foundation right because we will be building on it alongside you.
- Honest advice on whether incorporation is right for you — even if the answer is not yet
- Share structure designed around your tax position and growth plans
- Every HMRC registration handled — no gaps, no missed deadlines
- Registered office address included — keeping your home address private
- New director advisory session included as standard
- Seamless handover to ongoing accountancy, bookkeeping, and tax services
COMMON QUESTIONS
Company Formation — frequently asked questions
Should I operate as a sole trader or a limited company?
The right answer depends on your income level, your risk profile, and your plans for the business. A limited company becomes tax-efficient when your profits exceed approximately £30,000 to £35,000 per year — at which point the combination of a small salary and dividends typically results in a lower overall tax bill than sole trader income tax and National Insurance. However, a limited company also brings additional administrative obligations and costs. Hulljady assesses your specific situation and gives you an honest recommendation — not a default answer.
How long does it take to form a limited company?
Electronic incorporation with Companies House typically takes between two and six hours during working hours. In most cases, your certificate of incorporation is issued the same day. Hulljady handles the submission and notifies you as soon as the company is confirmed. The subsequent HMRC registrations — Corporation Tax, PAYE, and VAT — take longer and are handled by us in the days following incorporation.
Can I use my home address as my registered office?
Yes — but we would advise against it. Your registered office address appears on the public Companies House register and is the address to which all official correspondence — including HMRC letters and legal notices — is sent. Using a home address makes it publicly searchable by anyone. Hulljady provides a professional registered office address as part of every formation package, keeping your personal address off the register entirely.
What is a confirmation statement and do I need to file one?
A confirmation statement (formerly the annual return) is a document filed at Companies House once a year confirming that the information held about your company — directors, shareholders, registered office, share capital — is accurate and up to date. It must be filed within 14 days of its due date each year. The penalty for a late confirmation statement is ultimately the striking off of your company. Hulljady manages this filing as part of our company secretarial service.
What are my obligations as a director of a limited company?
Directors have significant legal obligations under the Companies Act 2006 — including filing annual accounts and confirmation statements, maintaining accurate statutory registers, disclosing interests in contracts, not trading while insolvent, and acting in the best interests of the company and its shareholders. These obligations exist from the day of incorporation and cannot be delegated, though Hulljady can manage the administrative elements on your behalf. Our new director advisory session covers all of these obligations in plain language.
What happens if I want to close my company in the future?
There are two main routes — voluntary striking off (suitable for companies with no significant liabilities or retained profits) and members' voluntary liquidation (more appropriate for solvent companies with substantial retained cash or assets). The method matters significantly for tax purposes. Hulljady advises on the most tax-efficient exit route when the time comes — including the use of Business Asset Disposal Relief where applicable — and manages the process from start to finish.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Let's build your business on ground that won't shift.
Book a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our chartered accountants. We’ll assess whether a limited company is right for you, design the right structure for your circumstances, and have your company formed and fully registered within 24 hours.