Company Formation News

When appointing a limited company director Companies House request your director’s ‘Full forename(s)’ and ‘Surname’. If you wish you can withhold the middle name. 

When forming your limited company you will have noticed the Standard Industrial Classification code (or SIC code), which represents the type of business or industry your business identifies with. This is also part of the information that makes up the Confirmation Statement, the annual filing obligation required by Companies House (the UK’s registrar of companies). 

It is currently taking Companies House (the UK’s registrar of companies) an average of 15 hours to process limited company incorporations. This being the amount of time it takes for a company to be formed once the company information has been completed and the incorporation request has been sent to Companies House.

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that we’ve been named as finalists at this year’s UK Customer Experience Awards in the ‘Employee Engagement – Improving CX’ category.

After receiving feedback from our customers we’re pleased to announce that you can now use multiple share classes when forming companies with us. In this post we’ll give you a step by step demonstration on how to do this.

Yes. If you’ve not yet formed your company and for some reason would like a specific date of incorporation (in the near future), we can help. Here’s how.

This month sees two important updates to the UK limited company formation process; the addition of a ‘People with Significant Control’ (PSC) section and the addition of a ‘Standard Industrial Classification’ (SIC) section. Let’s take a look at what this means for you when forming a company.

Since April 2016 all UK limited companies and limited liability partnerships should be keeping a Register of People with Significant Control (PSC) in the company. This information should then be included in the Confirmation Statement – which has now replaced the Annual Return. In this post you’ll find everything you need to know about PSC, […]

Networking events are a fantastic opportunity for you to get out there and talk about your business to like-minded people and potential customers/partners.

One of the most common questions that we get at Company Formation MadeSimple is ‘How do I change my director details?’ It’s perfectly understandable that the details of your directors may change – this could be for a number of reasons, name change because of marriage for example. Whatever the reason, we want to show […]

When forming your company online, certain information is required by Companies House to allow you to register your business. After all, government bodies need to know who you are.

Registering a company is a big, yet simple step, that comes with a number of benefits. In this post we’re going to look at three reasons why you should take the plunge and register your company. If at the end you do decide that now is the time, register a company here! Let’s get started.

Firstly, congratulations. You are now at a stage where your business idea is ready to become a reality. The next step is registering a company with Companies House, the question is; what is the best way to go about doing this? You can of course go straight through Companies House, but what if you want […]

The company formation arena is one that’s full of jargon. Here at Company Formation MadeSimple we like to explain what some of these key company terms mean and look at how you can benefit from understanding the details. One of the most significant things that you will need to be aware of is the registered […]

As a business owner it is important to know about wider issues – which may indirectly affect not just your venture but the business landscape in which you operate in. As a small business one of the most important skills that you will need to have is adaptability. Circumstances may never be totally ideal so […]

When it comes to the subject of startups and medium sized businesses, their conditions can be dictated not just through their everyday activities but also from larger scale agreements and recognition. This week has demonstrated this to be the case as our great capital city London has received recognition as the central hub for growing […]

Once your limited company has been formed, all your company information is stored on your company admin portal. From here you can make various changes to your company (appoint / edit / resign directors, update the registered office, add shares, and much more), check up on your annual return and annual account due dates, remind […]

You can form a company at any time. But, as we progress well into the summer months, we thought we’d explore why summer is a particularly good time to form a business. If you have the entrepreneurial spirit within you – it’s an ideal time to start trading.

The ‘Company Details’ page is the go-to place for all information on your limited company. As well as being able to view a multitude of info, it also allows you to make various changes/updates to the company. For example, you could appoint a new director, change the registered office, file an annual return and more. To […]

We’re constantly looking at ways that we can improve our company formation process, making it easier for our customers to successfully set up their limited companies. 

At MadeSimple Group we want to help you create the best business possible, and part of that is keeping you informed and aware of any fraud that might occur.

We are delighted to announce that Michael Edoimioya, a MadeSimple company formation expert, is to head up a new Wholesale Account Management division.

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Gold Trusted Merchant Accreditation by Feefo. Who are Feefo? They are a ‘Global ratings and reviews provider’. After a customer has successfully formed a limited company with our services, they are invited to rate our system as one of the following: Excellent Good Poor Bad […]

We have compared the Companies House formation statistics for 2013 with those for the previous year. Here’s what we found: • 517,210 companies were formed in 2013 compared with 479,545 in 2012. • The only month in 2013 that saw fewer companies formed than its 2012 counterpart is March. The difference being 1,613 companies. • […]

A holdings company is one that owns shares in another company (for a full definition see Companies House); this other company is a subsidiary of the holdings company. In order to form a UK limited company with the name holding or holdings, the new company needs to own a majority (more than half) of the […]

That’s a good question… and one we can’t answer. Now that’s not us being slippery, it’s because every company is different and what suits one company may not suit another. Therefore it wouldn’t be wise for us to say “you should issue X amount of shares with each share being worth X amount”. We can […]

Halloween is the perfect time to cast a wary eye over some of the common mistakes made when forming and running a limited company. Be warned, what follows is not for the faint of heart… Hellish spelling of the company name Whilst our system can check if a company name is available with Companies House […]

We’ve partnered up with names.co.uk to offer you a free domain name (or web address) when you register a limited company. This gives you your own website address i.e. www.yourbusiness.co.uk and you can also choose web hosting or a website building tool to enable you to build your website quickly and easily. There is another […]

No you do not. The Registered Office can be any address: • In the UK that you have permission to use • That you are contactable at via mail Our very own Registered Office Service meets the two (well three) criteria set out above: • It’s in the UK and once purchased you have our […]

All of our company formation packages come with the option to open a Barclays Business Bank Account. On top of this, once an account has been successfully opened we’ll give you £50 cash back. How to form your company and arrange your meeting with Barclays 1. Search for your proposed company name and choose your […]

It’s not every day you get invited to visit Number 10 to talk ‘small business’ with senior advisors to the Prime Minister. So this week I was delighted to be selected by the team at Enterprise Nation who arranged the opportunity for 20 small business owners to get round a table (and a very prestigious […]

One of the most satisfying moments for any start-up is when the website goes live. It’s the opening of your shop front, the unveiling of your brand, the introduction of your business. In short, it’s the start. Therefore you want to get it right. The beauty of digital is that you don’t have to get […]

First, let’s look at what we mean by paid for. Paid for indicates that the value of the shares in a limited company have been paid into the company’s bank account (or other fund such as petty cash). A company can have both paid shares and unpaid shares; it’s not a case of all or […]

Anyone perusing our company registration packages will come across the terms Registered Office and Service Address. So what on earth are these and what’s the difference? The Registered Office This is the official address for a UK limited company. As that suggests, it must be based in the UK. The company does not need to […]

Names are going to be a big topic this month with the arrival of the Royal baby, so I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and write a post about the restrictions that must be considered when naming a limited company, a baby of sorts! This post is about the rules of naming a limited […]

The WebFiling Authentication Code is a 6 alphanumeric code allocated by Companies House upon company formation. The code allows you to administer your company online through our system and Companies House’s own WebFiling system. Every limited company that is formed by us is allocated a WebFiling Authentication Code. To locate your company’s code: Login Select […]

It’s Glastonbury next week and as anybody who has graced the oft-soaked Somerset fields will tell you, it’s all about getting the right pitch. Well the same goes for your business (and that’s it with the tenuous Glastonbury link). Being able to confidently sell your business to others is a valuable skill that can take […]

Becoming a limited company director is not something you should decide upon or agree to on the spur of the moment. Whilst it’s great to be able to say “I’m a company director” you should realise that the job comes with some very real responsibilities. So, for your viewing pleasure, our 5 Responsibilities of a […]

One of the many benefits of using our Company Secretarial (or Cosec) system is the ability to add an amount of credit to your account and then knock future payments off of this credit. If you have already signed up (if you haven’t see the bottom of the post) you can add credit by logging […]

Once you have completed our company formation set-up process, your application is sent to Companies House for review. The vast majority of these applications are accepted just a matter of (working) hours after they have been sent but every so often an application may be rejected. This could be for a variety of reasons: an […]

To form a Limited Liability Partnership you require at least two designated members. So what’s the difference between a designated member and a member? Designated members and members have the same rights to the company. However, designated members have more responsibilities than a regular member. They are responsible for (taken from Companies House): • appointing […]

No. To form a UK limited company you must have a Registered Office based in the UK. What is the Registered Office? It is the official address for the company. The company does not need to trade or be based here. However, company directors must be contactable via the address. This means that any official […]

Each and every one of our company formation packages includes the £13 Companies House incorporation fee as part of the quoted price. In fact, if any our services require a Companies House fee we’ll include said fee in our price. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The […]

Companies House don’t care if members in your Limited by Guarantee company resign. This is an internal matter for the company that Companies House do not need to be notified of. You can record and file meeting minutes detailing the resignation in the company’s own records. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken […]

Companies House say it best: “A company is dormant if it has had no ‘significant accounting transactions’ during the accounting period. A significant accounting transaction is one which the company should enter in its accounting records. When determining whether a company is dormant you can disregard the following transactions: • payment for shares taken by […]

Not sure what a limited company term means? Take a look at our handy jargon buster. Accounting Reference Date: The period that annual accounts must cover up to. Annual Accounts: A report delivered to Companies House that details financial information about a company. Annual Returns: A report delivered to Companies House that comprises of up […]

If you have used one of our annual return services to file an AR01 with Companies House (for more information on our two annual return services take a look here), here’s how to view it once accepted: • Login to Companies Made Simple • Select “My Companies” • Click on the company name • Scroll […]

The “made-up-to date” is a term associated with the annual return. It is the date that all information in the annual return must be correct up to. It is common practice to use one of the following as the made-up-to date: • the anniversary of incorporation • the made-up-to date of a previous annual return […]

If you are appointing a corporate director (making another company a director) we require some extra information about the company being appointed. This includes whether the company is based in an EEA (European Economic Area) country or a Non-EEA country.

A company completes a “SH01 Return of allotment of shares” document when it wishes to add new shares (the shareholder/s who are to receive these shares are not named until an annual return is filed). Once completed the document should be mailed to Companies House (no filing fee required). If your limited company is on […]

Inspired by a comment on our Facebook page by a gentleman who was struggling to locate his articles of association (take a look if you don’t believe me), here’s how to view and download your incorporation documents: 1. Login 2. Select “My Companies” 3. Click on your company name 4. Scroll down to “My Documents” […]

A short and sharp one today. If a company has made enough profit it is able to pay its shareholders a dividend. The dividend is the payment. Important Notes • A company should not pay dividends in excess of its available profits from the current and previous financial years • Dividends do not count as […]

To carry out any online maintenance of your limited company (resign a director, add shares, file an annual return, etc) you’ll need a Companies House webfiling authentication code – a 6 character long password allocated by Companies House upon incorporation. Unfortunately these codes can expire or be misplaced...

Are you thinking of forming a limited company but unsure if a name is available? We can help. Company name availability can be a tricky topic what with all these “sensitive words and expressions” and “same as words”, it’s completely understandable if you’re not sure what can and can’t be done. So get in touch […]

When a limited company is formed it immediately takes on the status of “Active” (displayed on the Companies House webcheck and on your company admin portal). This has nothing to do with the trading status of a company; it simply means that the company is “live” as opposed to being in liquidation or struck off. […]

Seeing as we’ve covered how many people are required to form a limited by shares company and a limited liability partnership, we should take a look at the appointments required to form a limited by guarantee company. To form a limited by guarantee company with Companies House you require a director and a guarantor. This […]

No. Once you have formed a limited company you can leave the company dormant for as long as you wish. You don’t need to trade until you’re ready. Just ensure that: • HMRC are notified of your trading intentions • Annual returns are filed on time annually • Dormant company accounts are filed on time […]

A subscriber of a limited company is someone who was shareholder at the time of the company’s incorporation. Our company admin portal has a field dedicated to subscribers that includes their name, share information and the option to download a copy of their share certificate. This field is static and can’t be removed, even if […]

If your limited company is on our company admin portal (if it’s not, here’s how to get it there – it’s free!) you can easily resign a director or secretary. To do this: • Login to the portal • Select “My Companies” • Select the relevant company name • Scroll to “Directors” and select “Resign” […]

When forming a limited company, there are some words that can only be used in a company name if specific criteria can be met. This includes words such as (for the full list along with the criteria that must be met see here): Association Commission England / English Federation Group Holding/s International If your proposed […]

When forming a limited company (by shares) there are two compulsory appointments; the director and the shareholder. So what’s the difference? The Director A limited company director (or directors) is responsible for the general running of the company and ensuring all filing obligations such as annual returns and annual accounts are fulfilled. The Shareholder A […]

No. Companies House do not impose a late filing fee if the annual return (AR01) is filed after the deadline. However, if a return is not filed at all Companies House may prosecute the company and its officers as well as strike the company from the register. It’s worth noting that there is a penalty […]

The Certificate of Incorporation is a Companies House document that details the...

The company secretary is now an optional appointment. However, if you would like to appoint one, here’s how to do it: If your company is on our company admin portal: Login > “My Companies” > Click on your company name > “Appoint New Secretary” > Enter the relevant information and select “Continue” The request is […]

Moving shares in a company from one person to another is a two-step process: 1. The person who is losing the shares must complete and sign a Stock Transfer Form (a template is available to download from the “Statutory Forms” area of your account). This details how many shares are being transferred and who they’re […]

Anyone who purchases one of our company formation packages immediately qualifies for a free consultation with a TaxAssist Accountant local to them. How do your claim your free consultation? Easy. 1. Visit our dedicated TaxAssist Page 2. Enter your email address, name, phone number, post code and company name 3. Enter the CAPTCHA and select […]

For payments and renewals to run smoothly it’s important that you sign up with a valid email address. Without this, important emails can’t be sent which could cause disruption to your service. To update an incorrect or outdated email address simply: Login > select “My Details” > enter the correct/new email address > select “Save” […]

Our Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond company formation packages all include “20 Credit Check Reports”. So what are these? A company credit check report is a document that details background information on a company’s financial situation (as well as providing general company information). It does this by providing the following information: • Credit Rating • […]

After your limited company has been formed by us, the company documents become available to view and download from your account. This includes the Memorandum of Association – a basic document that details the company name and the subscriber name. To access the documents simply login, click on the relevant company name and then scroll […]

Once a limited company has been formed, Companies House will notify HMRC of the company’s incorporation. Roughly three weeks after the formation HMRC will mail a letter to the registered office explaining what the company needs to do next, in this letter you will find the “Unique Tax Reference” or “UTR”. If you do not […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 If you purchase our Comprehensive or Ultimate company formation package we will prepare and file your company’s first annual return (AR01) with Companies House. We will do this roughly three weeks before the due date, once prepared we shall email you and request that you login and review the prepared annual return. Once […]

Companies House eReminders are an email notification system that let you know when a company’s annual return and annual account due date is approaching. If your company is on our company admin portal signing up is easy: • Login to Companies Made Simple • Click on the company name • Select “Quick Links” > “eReminders […]

Unfortunately we are unable to upgrade company formation packages once they have been purchased. However, you can still pick up the various extra services that we offer post company formation. Click the below links to go to each services dedicated page: • Duplicate Certificate of Incorporation • Registered Office • Annual Return Preparation and Filing […]

We’ve given our “Ready Made Companies” page a fresh lick of paint, so fresh in fact that they’re now known as “Shelf Companies”. The new page displays available limited companies by the year that they were formed in. If you’re interested in purchasing a shelf company, here’s how the process works: • Select “Buy Now” […]

The memorandum of association is a basic document that provides the name of each subscriber (shareholder at incorporation) in the company. It also includes a declaration stating that it is the wish of these subscribers to form a company and that they will each hold at least one share each. When you form a limited […]

As long as you have at least one human director in your company, Companies House will allow you to appoint another company as a director. To appoint another company as a director you require the following information (for the company being appointed): • Company name • Name of an authorising person (normally a director) • […]

If you take a look at the Companies House webcheck you may notice a field dedicated to the “Last Members List” and then a date. So what does this mean? The “Members List” is a document that details directors, secretaries and shareholders in a company. This document must be filed every three years. The date […]

All limited companies set up via our company formation system are automatically allocated a Companies House webfiling authentication code. This means that if you form your company with us you can login to both our system and the Companies House webfiling system and make changes to the company. Changes include: • Director appointments, resignations and […]

Unfortunately our system only allows a company to be stored on one account at a time. Therefore if you wish for multiple people to have access to the company via the company admin portal you need to signup with an email address that multiple people have access to. Obviously you will then need to share […]

If you are signed up to our free Company Secretarial (or Cosec) system there are a number of options available to you that are not available to normal account holders. One of which is the ability to “Export to CSV” basic company information such as company due dates. This allows you save the file (and […]

If your company is formed this February the accounting reference date will be 28/02. It will remain as 28/02 until the next leap year (which is 2016) when it will move to 29/02. It will then revert to 28/02 until the next leap year. If a company’s initial accounting reference date is 29/02 (this would […]

Director addresses can be easily amended on the Companies House records. To notify Companies House of an address change (Service and Residential can both be changed) you can: • Complete the “CH01 Change of director’s details” document and then file with Companies House. The change should be accepted within a week of Companies House receiving […]

A limited company’s total aggregate value is the number of shares in the company multiplied by the value of each share. For example, a company with 10 shares worth £2 each would have a total aggregate value of £20. If the company has more than one share type, simply work out the total value of […]

Last Updated: 16/12/2014 A UK limited company has various filing obligations with both Companies House and HMRC. The Companies House obligations (annual returns and accounts) are easy to keep on top of as the due dates can be easily viewed from the Companies House webcheck (and our company admin portal). HMRC obligations are not so […]

If you have just formed a limited company with us, there are a number of company documents available for you to view and download from your company admin portal. Documents include: • Memorandum and Articles – select “Download” next to “Shareholders” • Certificate of Incorporation – select “View” under “My Company Documents” • Share Certificate/s […]

The company number is a unique reference number supplied by Companies House upon company incorporation. The company number is not allocated randomly, it is sequential. The beginning of the number depends upon the incorporation type: • England and Wales Limited by Share companies start with 0 although this is often removed • Scottish Limited by […]

Our company admin portal has a field for your company’s “Nature of Business”. This field displays the company’s SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) code.

Our online admin portal keeps a record of all changes and updates made to your limited company (via the portal). This information can be found under the “Request History” heading on the company admin page. It includes the following: • Request type (ie Company Incorporation) • Status (ie Accepted or Rejected) • Date submitted • […]

Yes you can. Companies House allow limited companies to change their name for a fee (which depends on the filing method). There are a number of ways to change a company name: • Directly with Companies House via paper forms (NM01 document). • Directly with Companies House via their online filing system. • Via our […]

The authorised share capital was abolished as part of the Companies Act 2006. However that’s not stopped us from being asked what this was. So here you go: Before the Companies Act 2006 a limited company could be formed without allocating all of its shares. So a company could be formed with an authorised share […]

This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. Subscribe to our RSS

Do you form numerous limited companies with us? Are you fed up of entering your card details whenever you wish to form another UK limited company (or indeed purchase any of our services)? We have a solution for you:

Namesco are now names.co.uk! To highlight the importance of the domain name services that they provide and to stress their UK heritage, the company formerly known as Namesco have ushered in 2013 with a rebrand that also sees updates to their logo, website and product offerings.

When appointing a corporate director (a company rather than a person) for a limited company, Companies House requests the name of an “Authorising Person”. This person would normally be the director of the company being named as the corporate director (or Secretary). Once appointed the name of the authorising person is on the public register. […]

In this series of blog posts we are going to look at the different business structures available to the budding entrepreneur. And what better place to start than private companies limited by shares? Forming a private company limited by shares is often considered to add credibility to a business. Registration is processed by Companies House, […]

The accounting reference date is the date that a UK limited company’s accounts must be made up to. The date is automatically allocated upon formation and normally falls on the month-end of the company’s incorporation month. For example, if a company were formed on 03/08/2012, the accounting reference date would be 31/08. The first set […]

Our online LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) formation service allows you to simply form an LLP with Companies House in roughly 3 working hours. The company formation service now includes an LLP agreement that is emailed in word document format as soon as the company has been formed. For more information on the service and the […]

We’re absolutely delighted to announce the launch of our brand new white label service. So… What is the White Label Service? It’s the kit to become a company formation agent. Ideal for accountants and other professionals who wish to earn money by electronically forming limited companies for their clients. Once signed up (it’s free!) you […]

Our limited company admin portal is a fantastic resource for anyone who takes care of admin for limited companies. Duties such as appointments, resignations, registered office updates and much, much more can all be carried out via the online portal for free. Everyone who forms a limited company with us is automatically signed up on […]

In some situations you may be required to upload supporting documents to accompany your company formation application. Here’s how to do this when forming a limited company with us. After purchasing your company formation package, proceed with the company formation process. When you reach the “M & A” section: • Under “Supporting document” select “Choose […]

The subscriber is the person (or company) who was shareholder at the time of company incorporation. The reason for this terminology is so that Companies House know who the original shareholders were. Even if an original shareholder were to transfer their shares elsewhere, they would always remain a subscriber. This post was brought to you […]

Exactly a week ago we wrote a post titled “How to change your Companies House WebFiling Authentication Code”; well today’s post is a bit of a companion piece to that. When you access your company admin page (login, select “My Companies”, select your company name) there is an option to “Update Code” next to the […]

We provide share certificates for existing and new shareholders alike. For existing shareholders simply login to your account, access “My Companies” and select your company name. Scroll down to the “Shareholders” section and select “Download”, you will either be presented with an online version of the certificate straight away or you will have to enter […]

As part of our company formation process we require all customers to create an account with us. After you have formed a limited company, access to said company’s admin portal is restricted to the account holder. Therefore if you require that numerous people have access to this account we recommend using a shared email address […]

Our company formation process completely does away with paper documentation. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, means to make payment and your company information. There’s no need for paper, a pen or a signature. It really is all online. Once your application has been submitted to Companies House, a process which shouldn’t […]

All limited companies formed online with Companies House (either directly with Companies House or via a formation agent such as us) are automatically allocated a Companies House webfiling authentication code (click here for more information on the code). Once the code has been received you are free to change it to something memorable. To do […]

In order to form a UK limited company you only require a Director and a Shareholder (who can be the same person). The Secretary appointment is completely optional. If you would like a Secretary it’s worth noting that this can be the same person as the Director and Shareholder. This post was brought to you […]

A company’s share capital is the total value of shares that it has issued to its shareholders. So, if a company has issued one share worth £1, the share capital would be £1. If a company has issued three shares worth £2 the share capital would be £6. The number of shareholders is irrelevant. Number […]

All of our company formation packages include a Barclays business bank account service. So how does it work? Just before you start the company formation process, we request that you fill out a quick online document with your contact details. Once the company has been formed Barclays will be in touch to arrange a meeting […]

If you purchase any of our company formation packages you may notice that our prices plus VAT don’t appear to add up. For example, our Basic package (£16.99 plus VAT) totals £17.79 at the checkout; however the conventional method would see it total £20.38. So what are we doing? We’re not adding VAT to the Companies […]

The Companies House PROOF (Protected Online Filing) service is a security measure created to prevent company fraud. Companies House accept paper filings for limited companies “on good faith”, they do not carry out signature checks. Therefore it’s relatively simple for someone to carry out fraud against a limited company using paper documents. By signing up […]

When forming a UK company limited by shares, Companies House require at least one human director. Which begs the question “other than human appointments what other appointments are allowed”? The answer to which is corporate appointments. Companies House allow other companies (from anywhere in the world) to act as directors, secretaries and shareholders. These are […]

This is the most common mistake that we come across; the mixing up of annual returns and annual accounts. We’re on a mission to make sure that no one ever confuses the two filing obligations again. So in this, part one of said mission, we’re going to define exactly what each one is and what […]

Once a company has been formed the Companies House webcheck will give the company an “Active” status. This is nothing to do with the company’s trading status. It is simply to do with the company’s current “life” status. “Active” means that the company is formed – whether it is trading or not is not taken […]

On Friday we posted a piece entitled “Limited and Ltd: What suffix to use?” What the post didn’t touch on was what the term “Limited” actually means (in a company sense). So what better time than now to explore the definition? Here goes. In a limited company the liability of the shareholders is, you guessed […]

When forming your company, one of many choices that you have is what suffix to use, “Limited” or “Ltd”? So what’s the difference? Well, other than aesthetics there isn’t a difference. They mean the same thing. But… If you form with “Limited” you can abbreviate to just “Ltd”, however, if you form with “Ltd” you […]

When appointing a limited company director, Companies House request two addresses, the Service address and the Residential address. The Service address is the official address for the director and can be based anywhere in the world (as long as they are contactable via mail at the address and have permission to use the address). The […]

We offer two annual return services, the “Preparation and Filing Service” for £40 and the “DIY Online” for £30. So what’s the difference? Preparation and Filing Service We will prepare your company’s annual return roughly 3 weeks before the due date (if purchased when the due date has passed we will normally prepare within 24 […]

First up, let’s define what a dormant company is. In the words of Companies House: “A company is dormant if it has had no “significant accounting transactions” during the accounting period. A “significant accounting transaction” is one which the company should enter in its accounting records. The amount paid for shares on the formation of […]

When you make a change to your limited company via our online admin portal, we’ll automatically draft the minutes for the change. To access these minutes: • Login • Select “My Companies” • Click on the company name • Scroll to the “Request History” area • Click “View” in the “Minutes” column This post was […]

Ultimately you need to ask yourself if you’re happy for potential customers to know your personal address. The registered office is on the public register, therefore it’s accessible information to anyone who wants it. Because of this many company directors choose to use an alternative address as the registered office. If doing this, you need […]

Good question. The Web Filing Authentication code is a 6 character long (a mix of letters and digits) code issued by Companies House. Without this code you can not complete any online admin for your limited company (either through us or directly with Companies House). All limited companies formed by us are automatically allocated a […]

You can carry out various admin tasks for your limited company via our online admin portal. This includes Director changes such as: Appointing New Directors To add a new Director simply select “Appoint New Director”.

A bit of a mean one today. The answer to the above question is “you can’t”. Shareholder information can only be changed at Companies House via an annual return. Therefore if you wish to update shareholder information with Companies House you need to file a return. As per usual with the return, you can either […]

The minimum age for a director of a UK Limited Company is 16 years old. That’s 5843.88 days or 140253 hours. If you are forming your limited company with us our system will automatically not allow the appointment of any director under 16. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made […]

Our Company Secretarial System (Cosec for short) has two ways to help you make late filing of annual returns and annual accounts (for which there’s a fine) a thing of the past. • When in the “My Companies” area of your account all of your limited companies will be listed along with their annual return […]

No. To form a UK limited company you can live anywhere in the world. You just need to ensure that your limited company will have a registered office based in the UK (click here for more information on the registered office). A number of our company registration packages include the use of our registered office […]

As well as being able to form Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP’s) via our online system (extremely simple and quick with formations taking an average of just 3 working hours, click here for more info: LLP Formation) you can also upload and manage previously formed LLP’s onto our admin portal. This is completely free to do […]

Prompted by some questions we were asked on our Facebook page we thought we’d compile some FAQ’s dedicated to the Registered Office. Here goes (if you have any other questions leave a comment below): What is the Registered Office? This is the official address of a UK Limited Company. Does this have to be based […]

After forming a UK limited company you may notice that our company admin system (login and click on your company name) has a field entitled “Registered In”. Obviously this means the country where the company was formed but there are some things worth noting: • A company registered with a registered office based in England […]

Our Company Secretarial System now allows all users to toggle their settings so that only “Active” limited companies appear on their display. This removes all dissolved companies. To do this tick the “Display active companies only” box (as per the below image) to show only existing companies and un-tick to show all companies. Our Cosec […]

When forming a limited company with us, our system allows you to change the company name right up until the application is sent to Companies House. Therefore if you searched for and purchased a company name with us and then changed your mind about the name, don’t panic. It’s not too late to change it […]

If you use our online admin portal to make changes to your limited company or to file an annual return, our system keeps track of these changes (and annual returns) and allows you to view exactly what was filed with Companies House. To view this information: • Login • Select your company name from “My […]

All our company formation packages include a FREE Business Start Up Guide. Once the formation packages have been purchased, the link to download the guide is sent in the purchase confirmation email. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. Subscribe to […]

Companies House no longer require Shareholder address information. However, if a previously supplied Shareholder address has since changed and you want to let Companies House know (again, not really required), you can change the Shareholder address by filing an annual return. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – […]

If you sign up for Companies House eReminders, you’ll receive emails whenever your company’s annual return or annual account due dates approach. You can sign up for this handy tool via our very own company admin portal. To sign up for eReminders: • Once logged into Companies Made Simple select your chosen company from “My […]

Once you have formed a limited company with us, you will have access to your very own company admin portal. This page contains various details regarding your limited company; it also allows you to make numerous changes to your company. If you’re on the company admin page and you notice that the “Nature of Business” […]

So what’s the difference? Well it’s simple really; the registered office is the official address of a UK limited company, the service address is the official address of a UK limited company director. They can be different. Click below for more information: Our Registered Office Service Our Service Address Service This post was brought to […]

When it comes to checking your limited company’s annual return and annual account due dates we wholeheartedly recommend signing up for Companies House eReminders (we can help!), but if you don’t want to sign up we can still assist you. You can view the due dates for all your limited companies simply by logging in […]

If you would like for us to remove a company from your account, be it because it’s dissolved or simply nothing to do with you anymore, simply email your request and we’ll take care of the rest. It’s as easy as that! This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple […]

When forming a limited company there are certain words that can’t be used unless particular criteria are met. Such words include: • International • Group • England/English • Wales/Welsh • Scotland/Scottish • Holding(s) If you are forming a company with any of these words in it, we’ll provide you with the relevant template that needs […]

Did you know that you can import limited companies onto our system even if they were not formed by us? It’s completely free to do and allows you to take advantage of the fantastic benefits that our company admin system offers. To import a company onto our system all you need is the company number […]

Once you have selected and paid for your company formation package, the next step is to complete the company formation application. Once the purchase has been made you will be directed to the start of this process. However, if you logged out straight after the purchase: • Log back in to Companies Made Simple • […]

The minimum age for the following limited company appointments, as outlined by Companies House

You can form a limited by guarantee company with just one person acting as the following appointments (multiple appointments are also allowed): • Director • Member • Secretary (optional) For more information on our limited by guarantee company formation services click here: Limited By Guarantee Company Formation This post was brought to you by Mathew […]

Anyone who forms a limited company with us is provided with their very own “Company Administration Page”; a hub for your limited company. Unsurprisingly this page contains a lot of information, that’s why we’ve created the “Anatomy of a page” area. The “Anatomy of a page” explains every little detail of your Company Administration page. […]

A blog about the blog may seem a little self-serving but bear with me. If you have any questions regarding company formation we offer the following resources: • FAQ’s • The Knowledgebase • Email Support • Live Chat But have you considered using the blog? Simply enter any question (or question keyword) you may have […]

When Companies House produce the Certificate of Incorporation, the company number does not start with a zero. However, when you search the Companies House WebCheck, it does start with a zero. So which is correct? Both. They are the same thing; you are free to write it with or without the zero. 

Anyone who has an account with Companies Made Simple has access to an array of useful forms and templates, one such template is the Share Certificate. To download the Share Certificate template: • Login to Companies Made Simple • Select “Statutory Forms” • Select “Share Certificate Template” This post was brought to you by Mathew […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 If you have a service with us that requires a renewal, here’s the page to do it: Renewal Fees From here you can renew the following services: • Registered Office • Privacy Package • Comprehensive / Ultimate Package • Annual Return • Nominee Secretary • Nominee Shareholder • Service Address • Company Maintenance Subscription […]

Yes you can. Nationality is not an issue when it comes to forming a limited company, you and any other company officers can be from anywhere in the world. The only restriction is that your registered office must be based in the UK (this is where our registered office service comes in handy!). This post […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 A very brief post today; all of our company formation packages include the £13 Companies House fee as part of the quoted price. We do not provide a quote and then add the fee on just before payment is made, it is already included. No hidden costs! This post was brought to […]

This is a very common question, the answer to which is yes, we provide everything you need to form a limited company. Whilst we offer a total of five company formation packages each giving different services and products, behind each package is one constant: a brand new limited company. All legal is covered by our formation […]

If you wish to remove a shareholder the first thing you need to consider is who is going to receive the share (limited companies can’t have unallocated shares)? Therefore you need to complete a stock transfer form; this demonstrates the movement of the share. Click here for more information on our stock transfer service: Transfer […]

Yes they can! Our Service Address Service is open to: • Directors • Secretaries • Shareholders Just one purchase of the service (per year) is required to use the address for all of the above. For more information on the service click here: Service Address Service This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken […]

We have withdrawn our CT41G assistance service until further notice. This is because HMRC have changed the processes for new limited companies and no longer send out the CT41G form for completion. We shall keep you updated on any developments. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The […]

If you formed your limited company with us: 1. Login to Companies Made Simple 2. Select “My Companies” 3. Click on the company name 4. Click “Edit” next to the name you wish to change 5. Enter the new name and click save The name change request is then forwarded onto Companies House where it’s […]

Yes you can. You can form a limited company with just one person acting as a director, secretary and shareholder. The director and shareholder appointments are compulsory, the secretary appointment is optional. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. […]

Yes, they are. We explain why.

Our online admin portal, open to customers and non customers alike (login or sign-up here), relies upon us having a valid Companies House WebFiling authentication code for your company. If the code our system holds has expired, you can update this by clicking the “Update Code” link from the company admin page. Once clicked simply […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 If you have our registered office service we will forward on the following mail to any given address free of charge: • HMRC • Companies House • Government Gateway • Department of Work and Pensions • Inland Revenue • Intellectual Property Office • Office for National Statistics • Any other government mail […]

We’ll be the first to admit that some of our Shelf Company names are not to everyone’s liking. But don’t forget, even if you can’t find a name that suits you or your new business, you can always change the limited company name with our company name change service once the company has been purchased. For […]

We have added new testimonials to our “Reviews” page that take us right up to 01/08/2012. For full transparency our reviews page includes both positive and (when we receive them) negative reviews. Take a look now! Companies Made Simple Reviews This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The […]

We have added a new selection of “ shelf” companies for customers who do not wish to form a brand new limited company but would rather take over an existing one. For more information on our shelf companies click here: “Our Shelf Companies: Some Information” To buy a company click here: Shelf Companies This post was brought to […]

The Companies Made Simple Company Admin Portal allows you to edit the following information for existing Directors: • Name • Service Address • Residential Address • Nationality • Occupation • Country of Residence This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 If you need to form a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) you’ve come to the right place. Our LLP formation service provides you with a completely online formation service for just £59.99. And because it is a completely online process, you can form your company within just 3 working hours. What’s more we […]

From small seeds grow great things and that’s certainly the thinking behind The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). The scheme, brought in place by the Finance Act 2012, shall provide tax breaks for investors in new companies therefore encouraging investment in UK business. Under SEIS investors can receive 50 per cent tax relief, a huge […]

When you visit Companies Made Simple a pop-up box may appear asking “Why do you want to register a limited company?” to which your possible answers are: • Reserve a company name • Incorporate an existing business • Starting a new business • Registering on behalf of a client • Other We’re constantly looking at […]

Companies House say that there is no limit in regards to the amount of shares that you can allocate in your limited company. On top of this, there is also no limit upon the value of these shares. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company […]

No. The accounting reference date (ARD) is automatically allocated at incorporation in accordance with the date of formation. If you do wish to change the ARD you can do this as soon as the company has been formed. For instructions on how to do this, click here: Changing the Accounting Reference Date This post was […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 As well as setting up brand new limited companies we also have a number of companies formed for the purpose of selling on at a later date as “Shelf” companies. Below you will find some information regarding these companies: • They are all UK (England & Wales) Private Companies Limited by Shares […]

If you are appointing a director or secretary (or shareholder at incorporation) for your limited company, make sure that you include the full name rather than any initials. If initials are used Companies House will simply reject the appointment. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest […]

Despite the fact that the UK economy is still struggling to emerge from recession, Ecommerce is one sector that is booming and any retailer lacking an online presence will inevitably lose business to competitors that do. If you are considering setting up an online business but don’t know how to go about it, these tips […]

Yes! It does not matter where your directors, secretaries or shareholders live, they can be based anywhere in the world. But remember, the company’s Registered Office must be based in the UK! This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. […]

No! Forming a UK Limited Company is not restricted to UK nationals. You can be from anywhere in the world! This goes for Directors, Secretaries and Shareholders. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. Subscribe to our RSS

In fact it’s very simple! To change your accounting reference date (ARD) via our online admin portal: • Login at Companies Made Simple • Click the “My Companies” button • Select the company for whom you wish to change the ARD for • Next to “Accounting Reference Date” select “Change Date” • Select the accounting […]

Our Online Admin Portal allows you to add new shares to your limited company with Companies House. To file a “Return of Allotment of Shares” (the necessary document for increasing the shares”): • Login • Select “My Companies” • Click on the correct company • Select “Return of Allotment of Shares” located next to “Share […]

Our customers often ask us for their company’s WebFiling Authentication Code and whilst we’re more than happy to provide the code (to the account holder only!) there is a way to locate the code online: • Login at Companies Made Simple • Select “My Companies” • Click on the company name • The code can […]

If you wish to appoint a company (rather than an individual) as a limited company Director or Secretary, you will require the following information: For EEA Companies • The Company Name • The Authorising Persons Name • Country Registered • Registration Number For Non EEA Companies • The Company Name • The Authorising Persons Name […]

Everyone who forms a limited company with us gains access to numerous forms and documents accessible from their account dashboard. Forms and documents include the J30 Stock Transfer Form, the First Board Meeting Minutes and the Share Certificate Template to mention just a few. To locate the forms simply login to Companies Made Simple and […]

Another day, another post about Annual Returns and Annual Accounts. We really must stress that Annual Returns and Annual Accounts are two completely different things that are both necessary filing obligations. If these are not filed then the company will eventually be dissolved and in the case of the Annual Accounts, if these are filed […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 A very short one today! We’re often asked what the limit is on the amount of shareholders allowed in a limited company. Well, according to Companies House you are allowed as many shareholders as you wish in your limited company. There is no limit on the amount of shareholders that you can […]

We’re delighted to announce that we have now formed over 250,000 Limited Companies! We are extremely proud of this landmark (a quarter of a million!) and wish to thank all of our customers for helping us reach this mammoth figure! This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 If you have any question regarding forming or running a limited company, take a look at the Knowledgebase. We’re confident that you will find the answer. The Knowledgebase is a hub of limited company information that we’ve collected over the years taken primarily from the different questions we are asked by our […]

Despite the current economic climate there are still plenty of opportunities to help new businesses thrive. There are also schemes to help encourage and develop new businesses, one of which is StartUp Loans. A collaboration between StartUp Britain and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, StartUp Loans is a government backed project aimed at […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 Sorry, we no longer offer the “Queue Jump – Priority Processing” service. If our average company formation time of 3 hours is not quite speedy enough for you, why not purchase our “Queue Jump – Priority Processing” service? With the Queue Jump, available for just £30, the formation time is cut to an average […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 Shareholder addresses are not required by Companies House in the Annual Return. Because of this we have updated our “Annual Return DIY Online” service to include a “remove shareholders address” option. If preparing your return via our service simply click the “remove shareholders address” button in the Shareholders section of the return, […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 The Companies Made Simple admin portal allows you to carry our numerous administrative duties for your limited company including: • Appointing & Resigning Company Officers • Updating Officer Information • Changing the Registered Office Address • Filing a Return Of Allotment Of Shares If you formed your limited company with us you’ll […]

The age old question just got a lot simpler to answer with our Sole Trader v Limited Company Calculator and our Tax Saver UK App. Simply enter in your estimated profits and our site, or app, will tell you what’s best for your situation (includes a detailed breakdown). Try it now: • Sole Trader v […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 If preparing an Annual Return with a made up to date that falls after October 1st 2011, you need to use a code from the new set of SIC Codes (Standard Industrial Classification Code). The new codes, confusingly named the “SIC 2007” codes, are five digits long compared to the old four […]

We have just added a new batch of companies to our list of “Shelf Companies”: Kangertoo Ltd Pudfellas Ltd Nish Burger Ltd Constant Refresh Ltd Lukes Racquet Ltd Slantenchant Ltd Westeros Ltd Revolucian Ltd Tiptoptap Ltd Prittee Ltd Our Shelf Companies are all dormant and completely up to date with their filing obligations. For more information or to […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 In short, yes you can. As long you provide the full address (PO Box number, town, postcode, country) a PO Box can be used as both a Registered Office and Service Address. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep […]

Forming a Scottish Limited Company with us is exactly the same as forming an England/Wales Limited Company. Simply do the following.

If you form numerous limited companies with us, it’s easy to lose track of what stage you are at with each company’s incorporation. That’s where your dashboard comes in handy. When you login you are immediately directed to your account’s dashboard, from here you are instructed of any action that’s required on your part, including […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 All of our company formation services include the £13 Companies House fee as part of the quoted price. We do not add hidden costs at the transaction stage of your company formation. It’s as simple as that! This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 If you wish to update the Service Address for your limited company’s directors, we’ve some good news; it’s ridiculously simple! Just: • Login to our site • Select your company name from “My Companies” • Select “Edit” next to the relevant director • Update the address The change of address request is […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 If you have a renewable service with us, our “Renewal Fees” page is the go-to place for continuing your services. From here you can renew the following: • Registered Office • Privacy Package • Comprehensive / Ultimate Package • Reserve a Company Name Services • Annual Return Services • Nominee Services • Service […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 The SIC code (Standard Industrial Classification Code) is a five digit code that details your company’s principal business activity. You are required to choose your own code when completing an annual return for your limited company. To view a list of SIC codes click here: SIC 2007 Full List This post was […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 Sorry, we no longer offer the Nominee Director Service When forming a limited company there are two compulsory appointments; the director and the shareholder. If you want to keep your name off of the public register and not appoint yourself in either of these roles, our nominee services are an option you […]

Last Updated: 25/09/2014 If you sign up (it’s free!) to our ICAEW Accredited Company Secretarial (Cosec) System, we will colour code your annual account and annual return due dates so that you know when a filing obligation is nearing or overdue. Once signed up simply click on “My Companies” and you’ll notice that due dates […]

Our Live Chat facility means that you can ask a question regarding any of our services and get the answer in a speedy and efficient manner. The Live Chat box now appears on the bottom right of most pages on the site, so if you’ve a query, simply click in this box and type your […]

Last Updated: 25/09/2014 It’s not just UK limited companies that we form; we can also help with the formation of a number of offshore companies. We can set up companies in the following locations: • Anguilla • Belize • Seychelles For more information on our offshore company formation services click here: Offshore Company Formations This […]

If you have a registered office service with us and you wish to change the address where we forward on your Companies House and HMRC mail, simply do the following: • Login at Companies Made Simple • Select “My Details” • Edit the address to your new address Hey presto! All Companies House and HMRC […]

Last Updated: 25/09/2014 None of our company formation packages include filing of company accounts. Our Comprehensive and Ultimate packages include our annual return service but this is not to be confused with company accounts. If a company is, and always has been dormant, we do offer a dormant company accounts service but if a company is not […]

We have added a new batch of customer reviews and testimonials to our aptly named “Reviews & Testimonials” page. The latest additions are admittedly all positive but we do also add negative reviews when they come in and also comment on the reviews when we see fit. Read the latest reviews and testimonials now: Reviews […]

Last Updated: 25/09/2014 All of our UK limited by share company formation packages include digital copies of share certificates for each shareholder. To view and download your share certificate all you need to do is: • Login to your Companies Made Simple account • Select “My Companies” • Click on the relevant company name • […]

Last Updated: 25/09/2014 Users of our ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) accredited Company Secretarial Management System have the option to form limited companies with three exclusive company formation packages: • Starter • Executive • Professional For every 10 companies formed via these packages, we will credit your account with £20 […]

We’re delighted to announce that our Company Formation Packages page has had a fresh new redesign. The new, improved packages page provides much more information in regards to what’s included with our packages as well as being much clearer. We also think it looks a lot better! To view the new page simply enter your […]

When you are carrying out admin for your limited company on our online admin system, you may notice the “Update Code” option next to the “Web Filing Authentication Code” area. This section is for changing an old code to a new one that has been provided to you already by Companies House. It is not […]

Towards the end of March (the 29th to be exact) we blogged about “Moving your Limited Company to a Different Account on our System”. If you’ve not read it, do so now! We’ve just a quick update regarding this blog post. We are receiving requests from customers to move their limited company to accounts that […]

Companies House will not be forming UK Limited Companies on Monday. Applications for formations can be processed on our system and sent to Companies House as per usual; they will then be placed into a queue and dealt with on Tuesday. Please note that whilst our systems can be used to process formations on Monday, […]

When you form a UK Limited Company with us, your hand need not touch pen or paper. It is a completely online process that covers absolutely everything required to form your company. What’s more, the formation process is both simple and quick with companies normally formed within 3 working hours. This post was brought to […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 All of our company formation packages include the £13 Companies House incorporation fee in the quoted price. We do not charge VAT on this £13. This is why the VAT on our company formation packages may appear to be incorrect, when in fact it is totally correct: Company Formation Package + VAT […]

If your limited company director changes their occupation, country of residence or nationality, you can use our online admin portal to record this change with Companies House. Simply: • Login • Click on your company name • Under the “Directors” section select “Edit” next to the director who you wish to change information for • […]

In keeping with our dedication to helping start-ups, we offer numerous business guides, packs and resources: • Tax and Financial Strategies Guide • Business Start Up Guide • How To Make A Profit Guide • 100 Ways To Save Time With Microsoft Office • Business Forms Pack For more information or to buy any of […]

The Business Show is now just 4 weeks away and a must-attend event if you are starting or growing a business. Running from the 17th to 18th of May at London’s ExCeL Centre, the show will host the UK’s biggest collection of educational seminars from business leaders and experts, including Amazon, Saatchi and Saatchi, James […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 If you purchase our Comprehensive or Ultimate company formation package we will prepare one Annual Return for your limited company when due: When the due date approaches we will prepare the Annual Return for your company, we will then email you and request that you login and review the Return that we have […]

When you appoint a limited company director via our online admin portal, we give you the option to choose the date of the appointment. When appointing a director the default date is the current date, to change this simply click in the “Appointment Date” box and make the required amendment. Please note that dates in […]

Did you know that when certain changes are made to your limited company via our online admin portal that we automatically create minutes for the changes? To view the minutes all you need to do is scroll to the very bottom of your company admin page to the “Form submission” area. Here you will find […]

We provide two different online Annual Return Services for our Cosec (Company Secretarial) customers: the DIY Annual Return Service (£20) and the Standard Annual Return Service (£30). • With the Standard Annual Return Service we complete the Return for you. Once the purchase of the service has been made our team will look at the […]

Changing the Service Address of your Limited Company directors using our Company Admin Portal is simple: 1. Login 2. Select “My Companies” 3. Click on your company name 4. Select “Edit” next to the director for whom you want to change the service address for 5. Select “Change” next to “Service Address” and enter the […]

If it has you can easily update it on our system. All you need to do is: • Login at Companies Made Simple • Select “My Companies” • Click on the company who you wish to update the code for • Select “Update Code” – enter the new code Please note that this can’t be […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 Our DIY Annual Return Service allows you to show share transfers that have taken place during the year. To reflect a share change in the DIY Annual Return Service (having purchased the service) simply: • Proceed with completing the return until you reach the “Shareholdings” section • Click “edit” next to any […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 The SAIL address (or the Single Alternative Inspection Location) is the address where registers and records are stored if they’re not kept at the registered office (it must be UK based). It is a completely optional address. To let Companies House know if you have a SAIL address, or to notify them […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 If you are using our Online Admin Portal to resign an existing company director and to appoint a new one, it’s important that you go about this the correct way. Once logged into you company’s admin page: Do select “Resign” next to the director you wish to resign. Once pending with Companies […]

Our “How It Works” page details the four step process required to form a UK Limited Company with us. As our name would suggest, the company formation process is extremely simple, but, if more help is required the page breaks the formation process up into four easy steps: 1. Search 2. Select 3. Buy 4. […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 If your UK Limited Company has never traded, you still have to file a version of company accounts called dormant company accounts. If your company falls into this category we do offer a dormant company accounts service whereby we’ll file the accounts on your behalf. To do this all we require (once […]

We’ve now updated our “Companies Made Simple Reviews” page so that it includes reviews as recent as the 27th of March. The page contains both positive and negative reviews (from customers) of our services as well as comment from us where we see fit. We’re constantly monitoring the page so that we know what areas of […]

What our customers think of us and our services is extremely important. That’s why we’ve a page dedicated to showing exactly this, our “Customer Satisfaction Statistics” page. The page highlights three particular areas: • How customers rate our company formation services • How customers rate the quality of our products and services • Would customers […]

Some of our services require action on your part after the purchase has been made. Take our company formation or DIY annual return services for example. When you buy either of these services you are required to login and complete the formation and annual return (respectively). If you’ve lost track of what is required on […]

Over 2000 businesses participated in our “How Online Savvy Are British Businesses?” survey that we launched in January. Obviously we were delighted with the response. Well we’re now equally delighted that we can announce the results of the survey and it’s compelling reading. Did you know, for example, 23% of businesses in the UK do […]

Our ICAEW accredited Company Secretarial System is designed for customers who administer and/or form numerous limited companies. It’s completely free to sign up to and boasts numerous features, one of which is the “My Credit” option. “My Credit” means that once logged in you have the facility to add an amount of credit of your […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 Because we now form Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP’s) online, the company formation process is reduced to an average of just three working hours. This is in comparison to the five day turnaround time of using paper documents. For just £59.99 we provide you with: • 3 hour Online Formation • Draft LLP Agreement […]

If you have our Registered Office Service, or are thinking of purchasing the Registered Office Service, it’s important that you know what mail we will forward onto you. 

Our Knowledgebase facility is an ever-growing database designed to help you with any questions you may have to do with forming and running a UK limited company. The Knowledgebase comprises of the most common questions that we receive and the best possible answers to them. The database currently covers topics such as “Limited Companies”, “Manage […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 If you would prefer to step into an already set-up limited company rather than form a brand new one, our Shelf Companies are ideal. We’ve a whole host of dormant companies formed for the sole purpose of selling on at a later date. None of our Shelf Companies have traded before and all of […]

Our DIY Annual Return Service (which can be bought from here) streamlines the process of completing and filing the AR01 with Companies House. The process is broken up into simple steps (accessed through our site) that do not allow progress until all the required information has been provided. And as if the DIY Annual Return […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 There still appears to be some confusion over the filing obligations of a dormant company. So, here’s what’s required of a dormant UK company limited by shares: Companies House Obligations Annual Returns on an annual basis Company Accounts on an annual basis (Dormant Company Accounts) HMRC Obligations A few weeks after the […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 We offer five different UK Limited by Share Company Formation Packages: • Basic • Printed • Privacy • Comprehensive • Ultimate So what’s included in our packages? Well there’s far too much to go into now (that’s why we have a Company Registration Packages page) but the main variables that set the packages apart are the Registered […]

Last Updated: 17/09/2014 Well here’s an easy one. When it comes to setting up and running a UK Limited Company, the Secretary appointment is completely optional. If you want a Secretary you can have one, if you don’t want one, you don’t have to. If you are forming your company with just one person you […]

When you purchase a service (or even just start an account!) with us we provide you with a wealth of free statutory forms and templates. Simply login and from the dashboard click “Statutory Forms”, you’ll then have access to forms/templates such as: • J30 Stock Transfer Form • First Board Meeting Minutes • Automatic Board […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  1. From Companies Made Simple, search for your company name and choose your formation package. 2. When at the Order Summary be sure to leave the “Barclays Bank Account” in your basket (it’s free!). 3. Make payment. 4. Just before you start the formation process you will automatically be directed to the […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  Adding new shares to your limited company and letting Companies House know about the new shareholding situation is a two-step process: 1. Adding the new Shares To add new shares you can complete the Return of allotment of shares (SH01) form and file it with Companies House. Alternatively you can complete and […]

When forming your limited by shares company, Companies House will request the following addresses: • Registered Office (on the public register) • Director’s Service Address (on the public register) • Director’s Residential Address (not on the public register) • Secretary’s Address (on the public register) • Shareholder’s Address (on the public register) Therefore, to protect […]

When it comes to company formations, we offer two different address services: • The Registered Office Service • The Service Address Service Our Registered Office service allows you to use our address (20-22 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7GU) as your company’s official address with Companies House. Any mail from HMRC or Companies House that comes […]

We’ve added a brand new facility for anyone who has any questions regarding our different services, the Knowledgebase. The Knowledgebase is a hub of common questions and answers that we’re constantly developing. So far we’ve answered numerous questions that come under the following categories: • Manage my company • Our Services & Products • Renewals […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  Once you have formed your limited company with us, the last thing we want is for you to miss your annual return and annual account due dates. That’s why we’ve integrated our Companies House eReminders service into our company formation process, therefore allowing you to sign up for the free service at […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  Now that we offer online Limited Liability Partnership company formations (formed within just 3 working hours!), we thought it a good idea to break down the basic information required from you to form an LLP. So, here goes: • A Company Name • A Registered Office • Information for at least two […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  We have added a brand new Limited by Guarantee Company Formation Package to our current Company Formation services. The £59 “Private Company Limited by Guarantee” service gives you the option to form a Limited by Guarantee Company and to use your own (or an address you have permission to use) Registered Office. […]

Yes, yes, we’re always banging on about Annual Returns and Annual Accounts, but for good reason. Missing your Annual Return due date will result in threatening letters from Companies House which may result in a fine and ultimately being struck off whilst filing your Annual Accounts late will definitely result in a fine.

Many people are confusing their accounting reference date with their accounts due date or assuming that they are the same thing. They’re not! The Accounting Reference Date: The date which accounts must be made up to. Annual Accounts Due Date: The date that accounts must be delivered by (Companies House will issue a fine for […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  If you form a Limited Company with us and then open a Barclays Business Bank Account we will give you £50 cash back. That’s right, £50! To take advantage of this fantastic offer, simply leave the “Barclays Bank Account” service (it’s free) in your basket just before payment. We’ll then request contact […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  Before you go ahead and form a Limited Company with us, it’s important that you know what you’re getting.  Our Company Formation Packages page details exactly what our different company formation packages cost and what’s included in them. Everything from our Basic Package right up the Ultimate Package is fully explained and if […]

Last month we posted about the common misconception that dormant companies don’t have to file annual returns. Today we’re posting about another similar and just as common misconception; that dormant companies are not required to file annual accounts with Companies House. Dormant companies have the same filing obligations with Companies House as trading companies (annual […]

Once you have formed a limited company with us, your company is “stored” in your own online admin portal. From here you can carry out various admin tasks for your company. One particularly useful area within the portal is the “My Companies” area. When logged in click the “My Companies” button to view all of […]

If you are forming a Private Company Limited By Shares with us, the company must end in the prefix Limited or Ltd. There’s absolutely no difference between Limited and Ltd, it is purely aesthetic. When searching to see if your proposed name is available from our homepage you don’t have to enter Limited or Ltd, […]

It’s great to see so many of you using the different Social Media channels to contact us, but we want more! If you’ve a quick question regarding any of our services why not reach for your mouse and contact us online? We pride ourselves on our speedy response times, so next time you’ve a question […]

We have made a minor change to the company formation process that allows you to view our standard memorandum and articles (the memorandum and articles we use are the model articles as provided by Companies House with a “templated” memorandum attached) before you submit the application to Companies House. To view the document simply click […]

Our free Online Admin Portal is a fantastic resource for managing your limited company. Every company that is formed with us is given free access to the portal which allows you to make various changes to your company such as: • Change of Registered Office • Change of Appointments (Director & Secretary) • Return Of […]

We have just added ten new limited companies to our list of available “shelf” companies. All formed on the 26th of January, the new companies are: TREADTHROUGH LTD TWINT LTD MINTEDMIND LTD SLASHTECH LTD SUNDIAL STRATEGIC LTD IMPERATIVE FUSION LTD DATA EXCERPTS LTD FUTURES ADVANCED LTD FUNDER ROAD LTD TIME TO GO UN LTD For […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  We’re delighted to announce that our FREE domain name with Namesco offer has been opened up to all our Company Registration Packages. Previously the offer was included in everything but the Printed Package but being the generous types, we’ve made the offer available to all packages (UK Limited by Share packages). For more […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  We know that forming a company, whilst extremely simple (when using us!), is a big step. That’s why we have pages dedicated to providing you with answers to any questions or concerns you have about starting a limited company. • The Facts A one-stop-shop for all things UK limited company. If you […]

When forming a limited company with us we give you the option to use our default Memorandum and Articles or to upload a version of your own Memorandum and Articles. To upload your own version during the company formation process: • Enter the required information (Registered Office, Director Details, Shareholder Details, Optional Secretary Details) until […]

If you have formed your limited company with us and have misplaced the certificate of incorporation or the memorandum and articles, don’t worry, you can download them from our company admin portal. To locate your company documents: • Login at CompaniesMadeSimple • Select “My Companies” • Click on your company name • The documents can […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  We’re often asked how many people are required to form a limited company; well the answer is just one. One person can be: • Director (obligatory) • Shareholder (obligatory) • Secretary (optional) Peculiar sentence alert! If forming a company with just one person, the person must be a person and not a […]

Forming a limited company is a big step. That’s why when you decide to go through with the formation you need to know that you’re doing it with the right people. It’s precisely for this reason that dotted about our site you’ll find different pages dedicated to showing why we’re the best company formation agent […]

If you administer numerous UK limited companies, then our free ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) accredited company secretarial system is ideal. The system allows you to carry out numerous admin tasks for your limited companies, one of which is changing the accounting reference date with Companies House. To do this […]

We’re delighted to announce that The Made Simple Group will be at the Business2012 exhibition taking place from the 18th-20th March at the 02 in London. We will be represented at the event in two capacities: •    Our CEO Howard Graham is a Keynote speaker alongside such names as Sir Richard Branson and Lord Sugar. […]

Towards the end of November we blogged about the importance of checking your emails after making a purchase with us (action is often required post-purchase, we will email if anything is required on your part). The intention of today’s post is just to add an extra point to this; the importance of checking junk mail. […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  This is one of the most common statements that we hear; “My company is not trading so I don’t have to file Annual Returns”. Unfortunately it is incorrect. Dormant companies have exactly the same Companies House filing obligations as trading companies. Annual Returns and Annual Accounts (in the case of a dormant […]

If you manage numerous Limited Companies and are fed up of logging in and out of Companies House Webfiling to make updates for your different companies, we have a solution for you. Our free ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) Accredited Company Secretarial System allows you to carry out admin for […]

Gone are the days of filling out paper forms for Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) formations! We now offer an online facility which not only simplifies the formation process but also speeds it up (the company is normally formed within three working hours). As part of the move from paper to online, we’ve also been able […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  Your Limited Company’s WebFiling code is your (and your company’s) key to online filing. And like a key you’ve got be careful with it. If someone has your WebFiling code they can do all sorts to your company including: • Change Directors • Change the Registered Office • File Annual Returns This […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  If you need to update the information that Companies House hold for your company director(s), be it their name, service address, nationality or occupation you can do it with us! Simply: • Login • Select “My Companies” • Click on the relevant company name • Select “Edit” next to the relevant director […]

If you have any questions regarding our different company formation services, try using the search box on the top-right corner of our homepage. Simply enter in a question or a keyword of your question and hit search; you’ll then be given links to every page on our site that contains your keywords allowing you to […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  If your limited company’s Registered Office has changed you need to let Companies House know. There are two ways to do this, the hard way or the simple way. The hard way? Complete and send in the paper AD01 “Change of registered office address” paper form to Companies House. Whilst completing the […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  As well as being able to form Limited Liability Partnerships online with us, you can also make changes to your LLP post company formation with us. By logging into your company admin portal you can change your LLP’s Registered Office, appoint and resign members as well as being able to edit current […]

Last Updated: 16/09/2014  If a company that has been dissolved has the company name you want, you can form your company using that name. Your company will have a different company number and will not be related to the dissolved company in any way. However one thing you may wish to consider is the reputation […]

Whilst you can continue to buy our services and products, after today we shall be away from the office until Tuesday the 3rd of January. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. Subscribe to our RSS

With the New Year fast approaching you may want to focus on some key areas of your business to hit the ground running for 2012. Planning: review how successful 2011 was for your business. And if it wasn’t, where can you make improvements to make sure it doesn’t happen again? Social media: still not on […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 Adding new shares to your UK Limited Company post company formation can be done through our online admin portal and what’s more, it’s very simple. To do this: • Login at Companies Made Simple • Select “My Companies” • Click on the relevant company name • Next to “Share Capital” select “Return […]

Yesterday we posted about our offshore company formation services, so today we thought we’d clarify exactly what companies we can form. So here goes: • UK Limited By Share Company • UK Limited By Guarantee Company • UK Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) • Various Offshore Companies (as per yesterdays post) For more information on these […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 It’s not just UK Limited Companies that we form. We also provide a number of Offshore Company Formation Services. We can arrange to have companies formed in the following locations: • Anguila • Belize • Seychelles For more information on our offshore services click here: Offshore Company Formations This post was brought […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 When forming your UK Limited Company with us, we give you the option to use our default Memorandum and Articles or to upload your own. Uploading your own Memorandum and Articles is very easy. The fifth step in the company formation process is titled “M&A”. When in this field: • Select “Upload […]

 Depending on where your UK Limited Company was formed*, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales, there are limitations upon on where the Registered Office can be moved to. 

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 As posted last week, we can now form Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) online as one of our online company formation services. To form an LLP (once the service has been purchased): • From “My Companies” click on “Change your LLP company name” • Click “change company name” and enter your chosen company […]

Our DIY Annual Return Service allows you to prepare and file your company’s Annual Return with Companies House from the comfort of our website. Once purchased all you need to do is login at Companies Made Simple, access the return and then work your way through a series of easy to use and simple to […]

Our Limited Company Director infographic draws a profile of company directors appointed between January 2009 and September 2011: You can also view the infographic on visual.ly and as a pdf. If you would like to view the report from which we created the infographic click here. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken […]

With us now in the midst of the festive season and a New Year approaching, we thought it a great time to catch up with our Small Business of the Year 2010 winner, SweetBar Ltd. SweetBar specialise in providing pic’n’mix sweets at special occasions and events with their traditional sweet cart. And with all the […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 When you login to your cosec account, the dashboard is the first page you will see. From here, you have a number of actions you can take. 1)    Your Action is Required Under this header, you will see any companies that have outstanding actions. This includes companies that are not yet formed […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 It is so simple to make these changes and the details are updated in as little as 3 hours. Here’s how: Your first step is to login to your account here. Select the company you wish to administer from the ‘My Companies’ list. 1) To Edit Director / Secretary Details: This is […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 One of the most common questions we receive is “what’s the difference between Limited and Ltd?” The answer is simple; there is no difference. It is purely aesthetic. When you are completing the company formation process with us we give you the option to use either Limited or Ltd. The choice is […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 If details for one of your limited company directors changes post company formation, don’t worry, it’s very easy to update with Companies House via our company admin portal. Simply login at Companies Made Simple, access “My Companies”, click on the relevant company and then next to the directors whose details you wish […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 As the New Year approaches, it’s out with the old and in with the new at Companies Made Simple. We‘re delighted to announce that we can now form Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP’s) online in just three working hours. This is opposed to the old paper forms that were both time consuming and […]

Every month we send out a newswire via email that includes news, company formation information, other service information and much, much more. We store all of these newswires on the Newswire & Competition Winners Page, so if you’ve missed an edition, don’t worry, you can visit the page and read them all! The Newswire & […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 We have a number of limited companies set up for the sole purpose of selling on at a later date. We call these our “Shelf Companies”. When you buy one of our Shelf Companies we will: • Resign the current appointments • Appoint your requested appointments • Update the Registered Office to your requested […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 If you completed the company formation process with us then you have access to our online company admin portal. As well as being able to carry out limited company admin duties such as officer appointments, address updates and annual returns (to mention but a few) you can also view basic company information […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 As well as offering a Registered Office service we also offer a Service Address service. The Service Address is the official address for a company director. With our service you can use our N1 address rather than your own address which goes some way in protecting your personal address from the public register. […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 If you’ve got a question regarding company formations or anything related to formations take a look at our new Knowledgebase. The page is a fantastic resource designed to assist you with any questions you have in regards to Companies Made Simple and the different services that we offer. From the Knowledgebase you […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 If you have just bought a service from us, be sure to check your email account. A number of our services require action on your part after purchase; if action is required we will send detailed instructions to you via email. Services that require action include (to mention just a few): • […]

The latest batch of reviews have been uploaded to our Reviews & Testimonials page. As per normal, for full transparency we have posted both positive and negative reviews. You’ll also notice that where we’ve seen fit, we’ve commented on reviews. All Companies Made Simple customers are given the option to write a review once they […]

When you purchase a UK company formation package with us you can be safe in the knowledge that the Companies House Filing Fee is included in our price. The prices quoted plus VAT is what we charge, nothing else. The only instance when we’ll request payment post company formation is when you have a renewable […]

We’ve created a brand new page designed to show exactly how our limited company formation service compares to that of Companies House Direct (Business Link). Highlighting areas such as; price, customer support, speed, banking services, management portals and supporting document options, it’s Companies Made Simple who comes out on top. View the “How We Compare” […]

Our FREE to use ICAEW Accredited Cosec System offers a number of facilities designed to assist anyone who administers numerous limited companies. One such facility is the Dividend section. We’ve now updated this area of the Company Secretarial system so that it’s even more efficient. We know it can be quite time consuming to enter […]

We’ve given our Company Formation Packages Page a bit of a freshen-up this last week. We’ve made the page much clearer to understand by reducing the size of the Company Formation Packages table and added a hover feature; if you’re not sure what a feature is, simply hover over it and a box will pop […]

This month we are focusing on the offshore market for companies. With world economies being in apparent meltdown, there are still many reasons why individuals and entities from many countries choose a particular jurisdiction to locate their commercial operations. One country that has particularly suffered from the Eurozone crisis, but is still a highly attractive […]

Although the global economy is in a bad way, there is too much focus on ‘markets crashing’, ‘economic instability’ and ‘political turmoil’. It is easy to forget amidst all this bad news that there are businesses and individuals who are weathering the economic storm very well and their stories shed a little light on these […]

Start Ups is one of the busiest online hubs for people either considering starting a business or those in business looking for business advice. You’ll find a rich variety of business information and advice… so do explore. Howard Graham, CEO and Founder of Made Simple Group was also recently on the Start Ups panel of […]

We have partnered up with premier domain name provider Namesco to offer Companies Made Simple customers an outstanding domain name deal. If you form a UK Limited Company with us we will provide you with a unique discount code that gets you one free .co.uk domain name registration for two years. Shortly after company formation […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 This is one of our customer’s most common concerns, but it needn’t be. The Companies House status “Active” does not mean that the limited company is trading; it just means that the company is “live” and not in liquidation or being struck off. Tomorrow we shall look at how to let Companies […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 You can now download a copy of the J30 Stock Transfer Form from your dashboard on our site. Simply login at Companies Made Simple!

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 If your company is dormant and the due date for your annual accounts is nearing, don’t panic, we can help! With our Dormant Company Accounts Service we will file the accounts with Companies House on your behalf. All we need is a valid Webfiling Authentication Code (if we formed your company we’ll […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 Once you have formed your Limited Company with us, we will automatically set your company up on our free Online Admin Portal. From here you can carry out various admin duties on your Limited Company such as: • Appoint Directors • Resign Directors • Appoint Secretaries • Resign Secretaries • Update Director […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 If you intend to dissolve your Limited Company but have changed the name of the company within the last three months, Companies House will not accept the dissolution. You must wait until three months have passed since the name change, you may then proceed with the dissolution. Our Company Dissolution Service This […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 We offer a variety of services that require annual renewal. Such services include; Registered Office, Service Address, Nominee Services and some of our Company Formation packages. If the time has come for you to renew a service, simply visit our renewals page and pick up the renewal that you require. Once you […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 We’ve just added some new companies to our Shelf Companies List! The new companies are: JASMINE DECOR HOUSE LTD LEATHER AND STUDS LIMITED SWEET ADDICTION CLOTHING LTD LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS LIMITED GREYHOUND WORKWEAR LIMITED GREEN VALLEY COMMUNICATIONS LTD BAREFOOT ADVENTURES LIMITED BIOTEC HEALTHCARE SERVICES LIMITED MEDITERRANEAN BAKERS LTD LEGEND BIOTECH LTD For more information, […]

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve teamed up with customer feedback experts CustomerSure who are offering all Companies Made Simple customers a FREE 30 day trial. CustomerSure provide “simple, web-based software to help you collect and act on customer feedback”. For more information or to sign up for this fantastic deal click here. This post […]

Companies Made Simple has taken the next step into the Social Media universe. We’re now on Google Plus! If you’re already on Google Plus, why not visit our homepage and click the +1 box located under “The Simplest Company Formation Agent” at the top of the page? Google Plus Us! This post was brought to […]

We offer a number of company formation packages: Basic, Printed, Privacy, Comprehensive and Ultimate. Every one of our UK Limited by Share Company packages includes: • 3 Hours Online Formation • Fast-Track Barclays Bank Account • Digital Certificate of Incorporation • Digital Memorandum and Articles • Use of our Online Admin Portal • Accountancy and Tax Consultation […]

There appears to be some confusion surrounding SIC codes when preparing the annual return. The SIC code, or UK Standard Industrial Classification Code, is a number that classifies principal business activity for a UK limited company. Confusion has arisen because Companies House have introduced a new set of 5 digit SIC codes as well as […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 That’s how easy our company formation process is. All we require you to do is visit Companies Made Simple; enter your desired company name, choose the formation package that suits you, make payment and then complete the formation by appointing: • The Registered Office • A Director • A Shareholder You can […]

New reviews have been posted on our “Companies Made Simple Reviews” page. We’re constantly updating the reviews page to show both positive and negative reviews that we have received. Here’s a selection of the latest reviews: Eric: “Fantastic. First time I’ve formed a company, I found your site full of useful information that was easy […]

We’ve just uploaded the latest in our “All you need to know” video series to our YouTube channel. This video sees me explain exactly how our Dormant Company Accounts service works. Watch the video here: All you need to know about… Our Dormant Company Accounts Service This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken […]

We’ve some exciting news (well to us at least) regarding limited company share certificates and our online admin portal. Our system now automatically creates share certificates when a shareholder change has taken place (via the annual return). Even if your company wasn’t formed by us but has been imported onto our system, we’ll still create […]

When selecting the name for your Limited Company, there are some words that require extra permissions in order to have them included in your company name. These are called sensitive words. Some of the most common sensitive words are: • Board • Group • Holding(s) • Federation • Foundation • International • King • Queen […]

If you have requested a change to your Companies House WebFiling Authentication Code, or your previous code had expired, you can now update the code via our system. Once you have received the letter from Companies House with the new code, simply: • Login • Select the relevant company from “My Companies” • Select the […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 We are now offering three fantastic opportunities for anyone who is looking to become an affiliate of Companies Made Simple. 1.    White Label Company Formation Simply embed our Company Name Search coding onto your site and earn 10% commission on every customer who forms a company (10% of the the value of […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 When forming a Limited Company it may seem as though a plethora of different addresses are requested of you. Understandably, there seems to be some confusion based around exactly how these addresses differ. So here you go: Registered Office • The official address for your limited company held by Companies House • […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 Our existing customers and regular blog readers will already know that it’s not just limited company formations we can help with, we also offer a number of services useful to limited companies. One area where we offer help is company tax registration. We know that some people find all things tax related […]

Our free to use company name search engine searches the Companies House system for any names that match your proposed name, we can then let you know if your name is available or not. If it is available, great, if not we’ll give you a list of familiar names that are also taken. Try it […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 It’s not just companies limited by shares and companies limited by guarantee that we form; we also set up Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP). Our Limited Liability Partnership service includes: • 3 hour online formation • Free LLP agreement • Hard copy of the Certificate of Incorporation • Free domain name and adwords voucher For more […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 Yes, we specialise in the formation of limited companies, but that’s not to say we don’t offer a sole trader service. In fact we offer two Sole Trader Start Up Packs: • Sole Trader (£24.99) • Sole Trader Plus (£49.99) We’ll provide you with all the forms a sole trader requires as […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 If you’ve found the ideal limited company name but you’re not yet ready to start trading (or you don’t even want to trade) our Reserve a Company Name Service is for you. For £49.99 we’ll take care of the formation and then keep the company “on ice” until you’re ready to take […]

Did you know that it’s possible to change your Companies House webfiling code? Very handy if you administer a number of limited companies and want one standard authentication code. To find out how to do this click here. If you do change your Companies House webfiling authentication code please remember to let us know the […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 When you login to your account at Companies Made Simple, you may notice at the top of the page in bright orange font “Your Action is Required”, this means one of three things: • You have bought a company formation service with us but you have not yet completed the company formation […]

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that Companies Made Simple is now the approved company formation partner of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. This relationship is a testament to our formation services and procedures that have formed over 250,000 companies in the UK. For more information on this fantastic news click here. […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 Amongst many other things, our ICAEW accredited cosec (Company Secretarial) system allows you to form Limited Companies. To purchase one of our cosec formation packages: 1. Login 2. Select the “Form a Company” tab 3. Enter the proposed company name 4. Choose a formation package 5. Make payment (or pay on account) […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 When it comes to forming Limited By Share Companies, we offer 5 different packages: • Basic – £16.99 • Printed – £29.99 • Privacy – £49.99 • Comprehensive – £129.99 • Ultimate – £199.99 If you want to form a Limited Company then there’ll be a package that suits you. To compare packages see our register […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 If you have a Limited Company on our system (or numerous Limited Companies) then you want our system to be completely up to date and hold the information Companies House hold. To make sure this is the case login, access “My Companies”, click on the relevant company and the click on “Sync […]

Companies House will not allow you to be a Limited Company Director if you are: • Bankrupt • Banned by Court from being a Director • Under 16 years of age Last Updated: 11/09/2014 This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up […]

Yesterday we brought you the fantastic news that our Company Name Search App is now available on Android Marketplace. Well the news gets even better, Our Tax Saver UK App is also now available on Android Marketplace! Check if you are better off as a sole trader or a Limited Company whilst on the move […]

We’re delighted to announce that our Company Name Search Application is now available on the Andoid Market! This means you can now search the availability of your proposed Limited Company name whilst on the move with both the iPhone and Android Devices. For more information on the FREE app, or to download the app, click […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 One of the most common questions we are asked is “how many people does it take to form a limited company?” Well the answer is just one person. In a limited company one person can act as: • Director • Shareholder • Secretary (optional) To start the company formation process click here. […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 Our Cosec (Company Secretarial) System, the only secretarial software accredited by ICAEW, is constantly being updated with new benefits and features. The latest upgrade is the ability to update all your Limited Companies (on our system) with Companies House, providing you with the latest up-to-date due dates for annual returns and annual […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 Is your company dormant? Is the annual account due date nearing? Don’t worry, let us file your Dormant Company Accounts for you. All we need is: • Your company Authentication Code • To know if the shares in your company are paid or unpaid We’ll then do the rest. Our Dormant Company […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 You may know about our “company name availability” search box but did you know we have a site search box too? Located on the top right corner of Companies Made Simple the search box can be used to search for products, information and anything else relevant to Company Formation. If it’s on […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 If you want to protect your director’s address from the public register then our Director’s Service Address Service is ideal. For just £49.99 per year we’ll allow you to use our address as the Service Address for all your company directors – rather than residential addresses. For more information or to buy […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 We want our customers to know if forming a Limited Company is right for them. That’s why we’ve a page dedicated to the UK Limited Company. Everything you could want to know about forming a Limited is on this page and what’s more, you can also download “The Facts Whitepaper”. Visit THE […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 Our Online Admin Portal is an excellent tool when it comes to administering Limited Companies. With the Portal you can make appointments, complete resignations, change appointee information, update the registered office, change the accounting reference date, file a return of allotments of shares and file an annual return (for a small fee). […]

Did you know that Companies Made Simple provide Company Secretarial Management Software and what’s more, it’s the only software of its type accredited by ICAEW? The system is ideal for all ICAEW members who administer numerous Limited Companies. Via the system you can: • Appoint/Resign Directors • Appoint /Resign Secretaries • Change Director/Secretary information • […]

We’ve just posted a new video to our YouTube Channel titled “All you need to know about our Annual Return Service”. The video sees myself talk briefly about the different Annual Return Services currently available at Companies Made Simple. Watch the video now: All you need to know about Our Annual Return Service This post […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 Not only do we form Companies Limited by Shares and Companies Limited By Guarantee, we can also assist with the formation of Offshore Companies. We provide offshore service in the following places: Anguilla Belize Seychelles For more information on our offshore services, click here. This post was brought to you by Mathew […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 If a director of your Limited Company changes their name (marriage etc), changing the name with Companies House on the Companies Made Simple portal is extremely simple: 1. Login 2. Select “My Companies” & choose the relevant Limited Company 3. Select “Edit” next to the Director whose name you wish to change […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 If you have completed a Return of Allotment Shares for your Limited Company your next step should be to create share certificates for your new shareholder/s. You can now download a share certificate template from your Companies Made Simple Dashboard under the option “Statutory Forms”. Simply open up the document, enter the […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 We have a number of Limited Companies set up for the sole purpose of selling on at a later date as “Shelf Companies”. When you buy a vintage company, we will: • Update the Registered Office • Update the Director Information • Complete a Stock Transfer form detailing the transfer of the […]

Yes, we’ve mentioned it before but something this useful is worth shouting about. Our Sole Trader v Limited Company calculator tells you if you’re better off as a sole trader or as a Limited Company. All you have to do is enter your predicted annual profits and we’ll do the rest. Try the calculator out […]

Sorry, we can no longer offer a HSBC Business Bank Account. If you are using our White Label Company Formation Service on your website, you can now enable and disable the HSBC banking option. To do this: 1. Login at our Affiliate Site 2. Select “White Label” 3. On the left-hand side of the screen […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 One feature that sets our ICAEW accredited company secretarial system apart from our standard system is the ability to add and pay for limited company formations with “credit”. Rather than pay for each individual formation as you go, you can add credit and then knock the cost of future formations off of […]

If you want exposure for your business the best way of doing this is through networking. But where exactly is the best place to do this? Firstly exhibitions, local and national events and trade fairs are powerful things. They allow your business to become more ‘personable’ and allow you to get stuck in with your […]

Last Updated: 10/09/2014 Everyone who forms a Limited Company with Companies Made Simple gains access to their own online admin portal. The homepage of the admin portal is the “Dashboard”. The dashboard (which can be found once you login) offers a “Statutory Forms” facility where you will find “Useful templates and forms for statutory requirements”.

Regular readers of our blog will know that we’ve been creating and uploading videos to our YouTube channel over the last few months. We’re now uploading some of these videos to Companies Made Simple. The first video we’ve put up is “All you need to know about our Annual Return Services” and it can be […]

Well first off, ask us if we have it. We hold authentication codes for all the limited companies that we form. If however, the code we have has expired, simply: 1. Register for Companies House WebFiling 2. Sign in to Companies House WebFiling 3. Select “Forgotten your authentication code?” 4. Select if the authentication code […]

We’ve just added a new video to our YouTube channel! “All you need to know about …Our Annual Return Service” sees myself give a brief description of our 2 different annual return services and how they work. All you need to know about …Our Annual Return Service – watch the video now. This post was […]

Did you know that you can change the accounting reference date for your Limited Company with us? Here’s how: • Login • Select “My Companies” – choose the relevant company • Next to “Accounting Reference Date” select “Change Date” • Enter the new date and select “Send” The application to change the date is then […]

The third in our “All you need to know” video series has just been uploaded to our YouTube Channel. Titled “All you need to know about… The Certificate of Incorporation” the video sees myself (so be kind!) talk about the Limited Company Certificate of Incorporation. View the video here: “All you need to know about… […]

There are numerous statutory duties that apply to directors, many linked to defaults by the company. If a private company offers shares to the public, the company ’and any officer of the company in default‘, are guilty. However, there are some duties, whose breach is a criminal offence, that apply only to directors. One of […]

Are you better off as a Sole Trader or as a Limited Company? That’s the exact question we can answer with our Sole Trader v Limited Company calculator. Simply enter your annual profits, hit “Calculate” and we’ll give you a detailed breakdown helping you make that all-important decision. Try it now! Sole Trader or Limited […]

Small Business of the Year 2010 has a winner! We saw many fantastic entries submitted and the judges had a difficult time choosing a winner. However, SweetBar Limited, owned by James Bland, fought off the competition and is crowned our Small Business of the Year 2010! Since incorporation in 2010 and in just six months […]

Regular readers of our blog will be aware of our “All you need to know about” series of microsites (example “All you need to know about… Dormant Company Accounts”). We’ve now taken the same idea, but transferred it to videos. The first video concentrates on the Registered Office and is aptly titled “All you need […]

Regular readers of our blog will notice that we’re constantly updating and improving our ICAEW accredited Company Secretarial Management System. Our latest update is the ability for users to delete companies from the system. If there is a company on the system that has been dissolved or you are simply not involved with a company […]

Are you looking to grow your business? If so, the Made Simple Group has some exciting news. We’re in the initial stages of organising a Small Business Graduate Fair, exclusive to SMEs. Unlike traditional graduate fairs, the event would be a more informal networking day, providing a perfect opportunity to meet other businesses and talented […]

We’ve just launched the seventh page in our “All you need to know” micro-site series. Company Formation with Bank Account tells you everything you need to know about forming a UK Limited Company and then opening a business bank account. Company Formation with Bank Account Previous entries in the series: Register a Company Name Registering […]

Our Company Secretarial System, the only secretarial system accredited by ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants), is aimed at anyone who administers numerous UK Limited Companies. A common issue for such people is keeping track of due dates for both the annual return and annual accounts. With the Secretarial System this in no longer an […]

Be selective about the organisations with which you intend to do business. This can be difficult if you are dependent on a few large customers or if your customer base is dwindling, but once your business has reached a manageable level of stability it is a good idea to research all prospective clients. You should: […]

The first funding source which typically comes to mind when borrowing money is a bank (which is effectively why they are in business). Banks typically lend to small businesses on a secured basis using equipment, stock or debtors. The more liquid and readily saleable the assets you have to offer as security, the more acceptable […]

Another update to our ICAEW accredited company secretarial system! You can now sync all (yes all) of your Limited Companies with Companies House in one go. This ensures all your due dates are completely up-to-date and correct. To sync your Limited Companies with Companies House: • Login • Select “My Companies” • Select “Sync All” […]

The implications of the recent burgeoning of e-commerce are clear for all businesses, large and small – develop and implement an e-commerce strategy soon, or risk being left behind in the ‘new industrial revolution’. The online marketplace is developing so rapidly that an internet presence is increasingly becoming the norm in the UK, and businesses […]

Earlier in the month we told you about our delight at having the only company secretarial system with an ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants) accreditation. Now, with the accreditation under our belt, we’re going to concentrate on explaining different parts of the cosec system. Today we shall look at importing companies. Our cosec system […]

Forming a limited company and buying a domain name go hand in hand. Therefore we are delighted to announce that Companies Made Simple, partnered with domain specialists Namesco, now provide domain name services! For more information click here and select the “Domain Name – £8 for 2 years!” option. Secure your domain now! This post […]

Last Updated: 05/09/2014 There are some limitations on a UK limited company’s registered office regarding changes to the address. If a company is formed with a registered office in England, all future registered offices must be based in either England or Wales. This is the same for a company formed in Wales. A company formed […]

If you form a limited company with Companies Made Simple and opt for the free Barclays Business Bank Account, you will receive £50 cash back once the account is open. That is an increase of £15 from our previous cash back offer of £35. This means that if you choose our Basic or Printed package and also […]

Last Updated: 05/09/2014 When setting up a Limited Company you will need to enter 2 addresses for your Director: • The Service Address – On the public register • The Residential Address – Not on the public register Whilst both addresses can be the same, the residential address has to be where you live. Therefore […]

A survey by web company VMware has found that the UK is behind the rest of Europe when it comes to utilising web-based services, or the “Cloud”. Only 48% of SME’s in the UK are currently using some sort of Cloud IT in the running of their business. This is compared to 60% of similar […]

Complete the CH01 (Change of director’s details) paper form and file with Companies House. Or… If you are on the Companies Made Simple system you can login, access your company and edit the name from there. The name change is normally accepted within 3 working hours. Companies House do no not charge for this service […]

Another week, another new micro-site launched! Register a Company Name tells you all you need to know about registering a company name in the UK. One page, everything there is to know! Previous entries in the “All you need to know” series: Registering a Business Name Setting Up a Limited Company Limited Companies For Sale […]

Our offices are closed on the following days over the next few weeks: Friday 22nd April Monday 25th April Friday 29th April Monday 2nd May Companies House are closed on exactly the same days, therefore any company formations submitted on these days will be processed on the next working day. From all at The Made […]

Last Updated: 05/09/2014 A few weeks ago we blogged about PROOF, the Companies House fraud protection service. In short PROOF means that everything for your company must be filed online. Companies House stop accepting paper forms for your company. Therefore, if your company is signed up for PROOF, having access to your registered office is […]

Companies House will be closed the following days over the Easter period: Friday 22nd April Monday 25th April Friday 29th April Monday 2nd May Tuesday 3rd May (Belfast only – all other branches will be open) This means that any company formations submitted on these days will join a queue at Companies House and be […]

Irrespective of the type of financing you need and are able to obtain for your business, the process of obtaining it is somewhat similar. There are several questions that must be answered during the course of raising money for your business. The ability to answer these questions is critical to your success in obtaining financing […]

On Tuesday we told you about the launch of our latest in the “All you need to know” series, that particular one concentrating on Registering a Business Name. Well in the typical Made Simple Group speedy fashion, we’ve just launched another! Limited Companies for Sale takes a look at the procedures for buying existing limited […]

As part of our drive in social media, we’ve created a YouTube channel for all things Made Simple Group: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMadeSimpleGroup Our aim over the next few weeks is to upload as many videos possible relevant to our various services. So far we have a grand total of 9 videos spread across 3 “playlists”: • Companies […]

Users of our Company Secretarial System may have noticed a few updates over the last week: • Annual Return / Annual Accounts Filter We’ve now added a toggle that allows you to filter through your companies revealing those which have filing obligations near. For the more technically inclined there’s also a “export to CSV” option”. […]

NEWS: Companies Made Simple offers customers a ‘simple’ way to donate to charity. Matching donations pound for pound to raise money for the charity Bliss via the ‘Three Peaks in 24 hours’ challenge. DETAIL: Companies Made Simple has added an optional 20p donation to their online basket, with a commitment to match funds, pound for […]

Leased office space is really only suitable for a larger business. Apart from the fact that a new business will probably have to lodge a rent deposit, the signing of a lease will normally involve a commitment for a number of years, a liability which could be difficult to escape if things don’t work out […]

At The Made Simple Group, we love feedback. That’s why we’ve added a “feedback tag” to all the pages on www.companiesmadesimple.com. If something about a specific page bugs you, or you just want to say how great we are, simply click the tag and write down what you want. Of course this is completely anonymous. […]

In our continuous bid to improve and evolve our services we’ve given www.madesimplegroup.com a bit of a freshen-up. Designed to showcase the various services The Made Simple Group offer, we feel the site got a bit stale. So we: • Listed all of our websites • Made it easier for you to navigate • Added […]

When farmers brand sheep they use an easily recognisable mark to distinguish their animals from those of other farmers. In the same way, when you brand a product or a service, you use a name and/or mark to distinguish it from those of your competitors. Thus, the first principle of branding is that your brand […]

1. Establish your mission. Your mission statement explains why your company exists. When you encounter a problem or a key decision, the answer will be informed by your mission. Think about why you started the company, what needs of the marketplace you aim to satisfy, and imagine where you want your business to be in […]

Last Updated: 26/08/2014 Many people starting off a business, and working from home, make use of a virtual office solution. The range of services provided by virtual office providers can cover many aspects of running a small business and commonly include mail forwarding, telephone answering, the provision of meeting rooms and some secretarial services. It […]

Yesterday we launched www.setting-up-a-limited-company.co.uk, the latest in our “All you need to know…” series. Take a look now! You can also view our previous entry “All you need to know about Dormant Company Accounts” here. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple Keep up to date. Subscribe to our […]

Last Updated: 26/08/2014 Did you know that you can upload Limited Companies that were not formed by us onto the Companies Made Simple System? All we need is your company number and authentication code. Why? • Update Registered Office Address • Appoint Directors/Secretaries • Resign Existing Directors/Secretaries • Update Appointee Details • Complete a Return […]

We’ve just launched a brand new web-page, www.dormant-company-accounts.co.uk. This is the first in a series of “all you need to know” pages that we’ll be launching over the coming weeks that give clear and concise information on individual subjects related to Limited Companies. As you may have guessed from the URL, the first page is […]

On Thursday we launched our brand new website, www.businesstrainingmadesimple.co.uk. Offering “Practical & Affordable Business Training” we aim to be the first port-of-call for small and start-up companies through a series of training courses put on by experts in their field. Click here to find a course that suits you! This post was brought to you […]

It’s easy to see why at just £16.99 our Bronze company registration package is one of our most popular Company Formation services. It is a great product that provides the essential elements needed for a Limited Company. So why do we offer, and recommend, our Bronze + service? Well this is because the Bronze + […]

Innovative small businesses will have the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of experts, similar to the popular TV show Dragon’s Den, from April. Launching in Birmingham, the initiative has been set up to “fast track” small business services thought to be innovative and beneficial to both the government and other small […]

As part of the continuous drive to improve our site, Companies Made Simple now has a wonderful new search function. If you know what service you want but just don’t know where to find it, simply pop it into the search bar and you’ll be directed to it. Try now! This post was brought to […]

The keen-eyed amongst you will have noticed a new video embedded on our homepage. The curious amongst you will have hit play and been treated to some nice people saying some very nice things about their experiences with us. If you haven’t yet pressed play, what are you waiting for! Watch the video here. This […]

Up to 43% of small companies have ruled themselves out of trading overseas because they find the idea too daunting, according to a survey by Parcelforce. Of the 513 “executives” surveyed, 43% of those not trading abroad recognised the fact it could increase revenue but most overlooked this as they believed the process to be […]

Last Updated: 21/08/2014 If you are a director of a Limited Company you may have come across the term SAIL address. So what is this? Well first off, nothing to do with a boat. The SAIL (Single Alternative Inspection Location) address is simply the location where company registers and records are kept if they’re not […]

Franchising is a common method of registering a company  – by adopting a tried and tested formula. A franchise is a method of running an enterprise with a ‘blueprint’ designed by a franchiser licensed to the franchisee. In exchange for a fee of varying amounts, you, (the ‘franchisee’) pay a fee to the company with […]

Last Updated: 20/08/2014 If you’ve just set up a limited company it’s useful to know exactly what mail you can expect to receive. So here you go. We’re going to split this into 2 categories, Official and Public. Official If you formed your company through us on any package Printed upwards, the first item you can […]

The Government has launched exciting plans to expand the scope of the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA), which it hopes will create 40 000 new businesses by 2013. The NEA will provide up to £2000 to unemployed people who want to start their own business. The scheme will be available to twice as many people as […]

A report published by The Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA) has highlighted the lack of pension opportunities being offered in small businesses. The Smaller Firm’ Pensions Survey states “At present, two-thirds of the UK’s smaller firms offer no pension scheme”. 96% of those not offering pensions said the main reason was simply cost. The government […]

Last Updated: 20/08/2014 Well have no fear; a subscriber is simply Companies House terminology for a shareholder in a limited company at incorporation. Once the company is formed the subscriber is also a shareholder. It is simply so Companies House know who the initial shareholders were. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken […]

Last Updated: 19/08/2014 When preparing an annual return for your limited company you will be asked for your company SIC Code(s). A SIC Code (UK Standard Industrial Classification Code) is simply a five digit number that classifies your company’s principal business activity. Numbers range from 01110 (Growing of cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds) all the […]

So you’ve formed your Limited Company, your product is ready, now it’s time to think about the 4 P’s of marketing: Product Product covers the physical aspects or intangible characteristics of the product or service you are planning to sell. It can include packaging, appearance, warranty etc. Pricing Pricing should take into account profit margins […]

It may sound a little simplistic, but there are really only 4 fundamental ways to successfully grow your business.

As of now anyone who has a company with us is able to change their accounting reference date online via our system. Simply login to Companies Made Simple, access “my companies” and click on your company name. Next to “Accounting Reference Date” you will see “Change Date” – click this. You can then input your […]

With the New Year fast approaching many people will be thinking about new starts. And whilst we will not say “forget” about giving up smoking, chocolate, alcohol etc etc we will say consider doing something different for 2011. How about starting a new business? Whilst such a decision can’t and shouldn’t be taken lightly, now […]

Last Updated: 19/08/2014 When forming a limited company you may notice the service “Maintenance of Statutory Books”. So what is this? The Maintenance of Statutory Books is a digital record of all your company’s statutory information. This includes: • Company Name, Company Number & Registered Office • Accounting Reference Date and other Important Dates • […]

The Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) plan to help make it easier for people to start up a business. In a recent press release, they acknowledge the importance of encouraging would-be entrepreneurs to consider starting up their own companies. They are committed to making the UK one of the fastest countries in the […]

In July we launched our Reviews & Testimonials page. Open to all Companies Made Simple customers, the page invites both positive and negative reviews. So why, as one of our customers, leave feedback? • To let us know what you like about our system • To let us know what you don’t like about our […]

Updated on 18/08/2014 1. A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) offers limited liability to its members but is tax transparent and offers flexibility in terms of its internal organisation. 2. LLPs were primarily intended for use by the professions. However, any type of business operating for profit may use LLPs. An LLP may be suitable for […]

According to a recent report published by the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank, the UK remains one of the world’s best countries to do business ahead of both the USA and the rest of Europe. Without doubt, part of this is due to both our own home-grown talent and entrepreneurial spirit, but also […]

As business owners up and down the country anxiously wait to see what impact the government’s spending cuts will have on their businesses, the Confederation of British Industry has come out in force to urge the government not to cut spending in areas which will help support enterprise. In their statement, the CBI says it […]

Throughout the recession, an overwhelming seventy per cent of small businesses said that they had turned their backs on their green initiatives as they had more pressing concerns, such as the future of their companies. However, now as the Government has stated that the UK is expected to make a huge twenty per cent reduction […]

When the Coalition government first came into power, the new Prime Minster, David Cameron, made it clear that stimulating business and enterprise was one of their main objectives, alongside addressing the massive budget deficit. Once the ‘Emergency Budget’ was announced the majority of feedback from the company formation and SME sector was positive – the […]

The Emergency Budget surprised many company formation owners, as it contained a number of provisions devised with the objective of helping regional businesses, namely the National Insurance reduction for companies outside of London on the first ten members of staff. Therefore, it may come as a shock that David Cameron’s coalition government is now planning […]

Earlier this year a report a report claimed that the two roles young people aspired to the most were becoming a celebrity and being a footballer. Consequently, over sixty per cent of girls aged between 13-16 identified former glamour model Katie Price as their main role model, while most boys of the same demographic said […]

The company formation and small business sector are consistently identified as being the ‘backbone of the UK’s economy’ by both politicians and economists alike. And, as David Cameron’s coalition are expected to announce even more cuts in public spending in their Emergency Budget on 22nd June, there has never been more pressure on the company […]

When you think of Dragon Den’s charismatic entrepreneur Peter Jones, many will recall his steely determination, funny put downs and even comedy socks. One of the roles you may not associate him with is ‘teacher’. But teaching is exactly what he plans to do at his National Enterprise Academy. Jones made his millions across a […]

Four days before the big election debate, its seems that election fever is well and truly underway throughout all sectors apart from the company formation sector – if a recent report, conducted by the Forum of Private Enterprise, is to be believed. The report asked over one thousand small business owners, if they felt that […]

The Prime Minister, along with his entire cabinet, has just announced that the general election will take place on 6th May 2010. As Mr. Brown addressed the waiting media, he spoke, unaided by an autocue, of the importance of public services, the small business sector and the threat of a double dip recession. This election […]

When we say ‘Dragon’s Den’, what are the first things you think of? Peter Jones’s colourful socks, Theo Paphitits’s legendary put downs or Deborah Meaden’s icy demeanor? Well if finance management firm Angel’s Den has its way, the next time you think of Dragon’s Den, you will think of the next generation of female entrepreneurs. […]

Gordon Brown’s decision to appoint TV’s most feared boss, Lord Alan Sugar, as the government’s small business Tsar, was always going to be controversial. However, the situation was made infinitely worse when Sugar identified struggling businesses as ‘moaners’ at a conference in Manchester last year. Many people felt that Sugar was being insensitive and unsupportive […]

After a disappointing Christmas, many high street retailers were looking forward to a more successful January only for their hopes to be dashed as prospect customers stayed at home to avoid the arctic weather conditions. However, according to a report by the ONI, things finally seem to be looking up for the high street retailer. […]

The government’s plan to increase the amount of paternity leave father’s get, provoke a mixed response from both the public and SME sector. Many felt that it was a step in the right direction to improving equality in the workplace, while some small business owners felt that additional paternity leave would just present them with […]

Spiraling unemployment figures and rising redundancy levels made for an extremely hostile job market throughout 2009. However, according to a recent report by the Office of National Statistics, unemployment figures have fallen by almost thirty three thousand during the last three months while the number of people claiming unemployment benefit has reduced by the same […]

Since the recession struck the current administration has been criticized by its failure to practically help small businesses. Many small business owners called for an election and felt that a changing the party in power would be of massive benefit to enterprise. However, a recent report conducted by the Federation of Small Businesses has found […]

In a context which is characterized by the MP’s expenses scandal and personality politics, the above statement will come as little surprise to many. However, a recent report conducted by management consultancy firm KMG, has found that small business owners have less faith now in politicians, than ever before. According to the report, which surveyed […]

According to many economists and business analysts, the high street has been one of the main casualties of the recession. However a report out to today claims that while the number of retail outlets closing is still high, the pace of closure rates has gone down considerably this year. The report, conducted by market research […]

In the light of the report claiming that TV programmes such as The Apprentice and Dragon’s Den present an misleading image of entrepreneurialism in the UK, popular Dragon James Caan’s has announced that he set to launch a ‘school for recent company formation’ owners. James Caan amassed his huge fortune in the recruitment and property […]

According to a recent report, conducted by the Charted Institute of Personal Development, the recession has completely changed the landscape of the employment market. Historically, students have been encouraged to graduate from university, get a job within a large organization and work their way up the corporate ladder. However, the findings of this report suggests, […]

It is well documented, that both political parties feel that the SME and company formation sector are pivotal to the development of the UK’s economy. However, speaking at the Government’s Department for Skills and Innovation last week, Lord Mandelson further highlighted how the personal commitment and dynamism of the SME sector will be vital to […]

At the beginning of the recession, the government pledged to do all it could to help the small business sector and recent company formation owners. Many of the initiatives they implemented were defined by the media as ‘crowd-pleasers’ and ‘short-sighted’. Across the nation the government was widely perceived as not having done enough. Therefore, when the […]

Is it just us, or is election-fever in the air?! Not only have we had Lord Mandelson pledging to support the SME sector in the Government’s ‘Growth Strategy’, but leader of the opposition, David Cameron, has also popped up on the Andrew Marr Show, promising to make the company formation process simpler and to reduce […]

One of the main objectives of the Government is to reassert the UK as the worlds leading country for innovation in business. According to a recent report, innovation will be one of the main drivers for economic growth. The report, conducted by the National Institute for Innovation in Business, found that innovation can be attributed […]

In yesterday’s post, we discussed how investment in the SME sector has fallen over the last quarter – worrying news, considering the media is saturated with stories of how the UK is on its way out of the recession. However, today Companies Made Simple received some encouraging news; according to the credit referencing giant Experian, […]

At the start of 2009, the SME sector was positioned as the main casualty of the recession, by the media – with the ‘entrepreneurial spirit of Britain’ coming a close second. However, as we have previously reported, over 60% of all SME’s have maintained pre-recession profitability and the number of people harbouring ambitions to start […]

The world of online retail was rocked earlier this month by news of a looming postal strike and many feared the resulting loss of sales would make it a very un-merry Christmas for e-tailers. However, as the postal strike was called off, online industry watchdog Digital Consultants, decided to conduct some research into how and […]

The recent announcement that the government will use almost £40 billion of tax-payers money, to bail out both Lloyds and the Royal Bank of Scotland, has been met with overwhelming criticism from the SME sector. James Thompson, owner of a chain of beauty salons across the UK comments: ‘The government’s pledge to inject even more […]

A recent report conducted by Recruitment Consultants ‘Matthews Consultancy’ found that companies which have a motivated workforce are over 40% more efficient than companies that don’t. While it won’t come as a shock that an inspired team equals better productivity, how do you achieve a motivated workforce when times are hard? Historically, many companies motivated […]

At both the Conservative and Labour Party conferences, getting UK enterprise back on its feet was clearly an issue firmly on both parties’ agenda. A fact that has not gone unnoticed by various business lobbies. The Government’s ‘Fair Payment Charter’ set out to establish that the culture of late payment, that has dominated post recessionary […]

As a result on better health care and living conditions people are living longer. This has had a definite impact to the UK’s working culture. Not only have discussions been put in motion to raise the retirement age in the UK, a recent report conducted by the charity Age Concern suggests that over 25% of […]

Since the credit crunch hit, there has been overwhelming pressure on the government to come up with a robust strategy to get the UK on the road financial recovery. While the government has made a commitment to help small businesses in the UK, implementing several tax strategies and the Late Payment Charter, many small business […]

Last week Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne addressed the Conservative party and the world’s media with his plans to include a National Insurance holiday for business owners who have recently completed the company formation process. The announcement has been welcomed by economists and business groups alike, though some have commented that the initiative may be too […]

Figures by the IAB, reveal that online advertising spend now accounts for almost 30% of all advertising. Online shopping, social media and pay-per-click have all had an impact on the increasing number of companies advertising online. However, according to a recent survey by online giants PayPal this is a trend that has failed to touch […]

In yesterday’s post, we revealed that company formation figures for September are up. Today, we look at a report commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which not only confirms the company formation figures, but actually goes as far as to suggest that SME’s in the UK have used the recession to strength […]

A recent article, published in The Sunday Times, suggested that many women in the workplace felt that experienced a ‘glass ceiling’ in their careers, as a result of prolonged periods of leave due to maternity. However, a survey of over 2,000 women, conducted by website workingmums.co.uk suggests that if bosses embraced the concept of flexible […]

Every year, over half a million people in the UK form a company. Once all the hard work they invest initially begins to pay off and their business starts to grow, they start taking on employees. Regardless of all the HR involved in becoming an employer, one of the main challenges many entrepreneurs face is […]

In market conditions increasingly defined by intensive competition, late payment, and falling consumer spend, the prevailing message seems to be trust no one. However, it may come as a shock to some, that according to a recent survey, most business owners don’t even trust their own employees! According to the poll- carried out by The […]

A recent survey, carried out by The Board of Entrepreneurs, revealed that most people living in the UK believe that it will be entrepreneurs,  not the Government, that will lead us down the path of economic recovery. Of the 4,000 people asked, almost 35% felt that entrepreneurs would provide the impetus for economic recovery, compared […]

The summer weather resulted in a much needed boost in retail sales over June and July, which prompted many economists to suggest that the UK’s economy was on the road to recovery. However, low reported retail sales in August have undermined any hope of high street recovery. According to the British Retail Consortium not only […]

One feature of the new Companies Act, the final stages of which come into force on1 October 2009, is the introduction of a whole range of new forms. For years, those of us who have been involved with company formation and the maintenance of company secretarial records,  have become used to a wide range of […]

The recent trend for spending your hard earned holiday time at home or somewhere in Britain , has given a much needed boost to small business. According to a recent report published by Business Link, almost 80% of all businesses have experienced an uplift in turnover since the ‘staycation’ trend began, with 50% reporting an […]

According to a recent survey, the government’s endeavours to protect SME’s during the recession have failed to have any tangible impact. Lack of cash flow – as a result of supplier late payments – are containing to characterize market conditions and prevent the UK’ from getting on the road to economic recovery. According to the […]

A report conducted by online retail giant ASIS revealed that the digital sector is driving retail growth as non-store revenue is up by almost 30% from last year. On the whole the retail sector grew by almost 2% from June to July this year Jane Stevens, brand manager of ASIS comments: “The uplift in online […]

According to a recent survey conducted by the Institute of Small Businesses, most small business owners are looking forward to better market conditions in 2010. Almost 75% of the 1,000 small business owners asked, revealed that they are feeling a lot more positive about the future of the UK’s economy. The survey reflected a mood […]

If the decline in the advertising industry is anything to go by, it would be easy to suggest that for most  small businesses and recently company formations, the first thing to be cut during a recession is marketing spend.  However, a recent survey by the Small Business Advisory board suggests that while marketing spend decreased […]

As we have stated on a number of occasions, one of the main reasons a budding entrepreneur leaves the security of a monthly salary to start the company formation process, is overriding ambition and passion for their company. According to recent reports, as a consequence of the increasing demands of the recession, many entrepreneurs are […]

At the start of the economic downturn the media was saturated with news of small companies going bust and the number of recent company formations declining. However, according to a recent report, the number of small businesses going into administration is falling. According to one business consultancy firm the number of companies increased by 20% […]

As the result of increasing redundancies and job insecurity, many people are considering forming their own company. Indeed our company formation figures confirm that from last year the number of people forming a company is actually up. However, from the feedback we have received, many are experiencing difficulty in raising finance to fund their company’s […]

For a lot of entrepreneurs, when they decide to start the company formation process, they are greeted with the fact that ‘most recently formed companies fail within the first year of trading.’ It is widely acknowledged, not least here on this blog, that this is fundamentally due to a lack of cash flow and ineffective […]

Over the last few years, an interesting phenomenon in the arena of company formations has been the sizeable number of European individuals forming a company in the UK. Germans in particular, but also French, Italian and particularly Norwegians have flocked to UK formation agents to form a company. A quick look at the basic rules […]

97% of start up and small businesses are ‘optimistic’ about the future! The Made Simple Group (MSG), providers of online business solutions to the start up and small business communities, recently invited their customers to participate in their ‘Coping with the Recession’ survey. Over 850 customers participated in the survey conducted during December 2008.  Given […]