Company formation in London

Starting a business in London

London is the UK's largest economy, and it is unusually broad. The London Growth Plan, launched by the Mayor of London and London Councils in February 2025, names AI, life sciences, robotics, clean tech, quantum computing and the creative industries as areas to grow, alongside the capital's long-established financial and professional services. The plan sets a goal of returning productivity growth to about 2% a year and creating at least 150,000 high-quality jobs.

In practice, that means a London founder is just as likely to be a freelance developer in Shoreditch, a film or design studio in south London, a consultant serving City firms or a food business in a borough high street. What they have in common: most choose a private limited company (Ltd), because it separates the business from the owner's personal finances and is what many larger clients and agencies expect to see.

Which registered office do you need?

Every UK company must have a registered office in the same UK nation where it is registered. A company formed for a London business is registered in England and Wales, so its registered office must be in England or Wales. It does not have to be in London, and it does not have to be where you work.

Many London founders work from a flat they rent, or share a home with others. If you use your home as the registered office, that address appears on the public Companies House register. Some landlords also do not allow it. Our central London address solves both problems: it is a legal registered office for England and Wales companies, it receives official post from Companies House and HMRC, and it keeps your home address off the register. Letters are scanned and emailed to you, and it is a real address, not a PO box.

If you also want a London address to print on your website and invoices, that is a separate service: a London Virtual Office gives you a trading address for customers and suppliers.

Local support for new businesses

London has free, public support you can use alongside forming your company:

• Grow London Local — London's Growth Hub, run by London & Partners, the Mayor's business growth agency. It offers a free online diagnostic, business guidance and a "single front door" to small business support in the capital. It was previously called the London Business Hub.
• British Library Business & IP Centre (BIPC) — the national centre at the British Library offers free workshops, webinars, one-to-one support, market research databases and help with patents and trade marks. There are also local BIPC centres in libraries in Bromley, Edmonton Green (Enfield), Woolwich (Greenwich), Lewisham, Leytonstone (Waltham Forest) and York Gardens (Wandsworth).
• The Business Support Service for England — the government helpline, open Monday to Friday, for general questions about starting and running a business.

Your own borough council may also have business pages, especially for licences (food, street trading, alcohol), which are handled locally.

Example

Sofia is a motion designer who has freelanced for London agencies for two years and lives in a shared rented flat in Peckham. Two of her regular clients now want to contract with a limited company rather than a sole trader.

She chooses the Privacy Package for £1,000 incl. VAT. It includes our central London registered office and a director service address for the first year, so neither her home address nor her landlord's property appears on the public register. She orders on a Monday morning, completes the identity check online the same day, and her company is registered by Tuesday. She then opens a business bank account and sends her clients the new company details.

If Sofia had owned her home and been happy for the address to be public, the Digital Package at £290 incl. VAT would have covered the formation itself.

How it works

1. Choose a package and check your name. Everything happens online, from London or anywhere else. Use our free name check first.
2. Place your order and verify your identity. As a Companies House Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), we carry out the identity checks for each director and person with significant control, so you do not need a separate GOV.UK One Login check.
3. We prepare and file the application. We draft the memorandum and articles, set up the share structure and submit everything to Companies House. The £100 Companies House fee is already in our price.
4. Your company is registered. Once the checks are complete, most companies are registered within 24 hours. Your certificate of incorporation and company documents appear in your online client account.

Next steps

• Check that your company name is available with our free company name check.
• Need only the formation? Start with the Digital Package — £290 incl. VAT.
• Want privacy from day one? The Privacy Package includes the central London registered office and a director service address for the first year.
• Already have a company? Add a Registered Office Address (£250 a year) or a London Virtual Office (£350 a year).

Every business is different. If you are unsure about tax or whether a company is right for you, speak to an accountant before you register.

Frequently asked questions

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