UK formation agents are supported by the UK government

When choosing a country for business, we advise you to pay attention to one of the respectable jurisdictions in Europe – the UK. Registering a companу in England is a chance to legally organize an offshore structure on legal grounds and take advantage of tax benefits without any restrictions.

Despite sanctions measures and geopolitical risks, Britain is open to foreign investors and entrepreneurs who can open a British or non-resident companу, gain access to the global market and bank accounts. But in order for the whole process of forming a legal entity in England to go smoothly, you will need the help of professionals.

Why it is profitable to formation companiеs UK

The UK is a reliable state that is among the top ten countries in terms of economic development, is a member of the UN Security Council, G7, NATO, WTO, OECD and other international organizations.

Other advantages of England as a place to register an international companу:

• It is not included in the black list of unfriendly EU countries from among the tax havens, but at the same time it provides all the benefits for applying similar taxation rules to foreign companiеs of international level.
• Not the highest corporate tax rates, which in the UK in 2022-2023 is 19% and can be reduced to 0%.
• A worldwide network of double taxation treaties, which entitles you to pay taxes in only one state.
• If you wish to take root in England, a foreign founder can obtain a tax residence certificate for his offshore companу, which immediately ceases to be such and is transferred to the status of an English local companу, as well as for himself.
• The UK legal framework is based on Anglo-Saxon law, which provides access to a nominee service and remote business management through a trustee (nominal).
• By accessing the UK banking sector, a non-resident companу can keep its capital in a secure financial system or use this instrument for personal purposes. In the latter case, it should be recalled that in the UK, all residents pay tax on personal worldwide income. Zero rate eligibility may arise for certain reasons, including the presence of a foreign domicile.

How to formation an international companу in the UK

Uk companу formation by a non-resident takes place in several stages, including the procedure for preparing documents, buying an office, tax planning and opening a bank account. At the same time, for foreign founders who wish not only to register a companу in England, but to receive tax benefits offshore, only a few organizational and legal forms of business are available.

You should also carefully study the UK tax system, where there are tests for economic presence, deliberate concealment of income from accounting in the taxable base and segregation of assets by type of transactions. As part of this material, we will only talk about the general principles of taxation in England for offshore companiеs and provide a brief guide to registering a non-resident companу in England.

Registering a business in England: what types of companiеs can a foreigner open

Organizational and legal forms of activity that a foreign individual entity (non-resident) can open in the UK in 2022 – 2023:

1. Registration of a limited liability companу LTD (Limited) in England, where the minimum requirements are set:
   • liability, including tax liability, is limited to the shares of each shareholder of an LLC in England, which may also be non-residents;
   • founder – a person (minimum 1) of any residency;
   • secretary – not a mandatory requirement;
   • submission of financial statements is mandatory;
   • tax on income received in the UK – 19%, on global income for non-resident shareholders – 0%.
2. Limited Liability Partnership in England, the registration of which is suitable for international activities (LLP – Limited Liability Partnership):
   • number of partners – at least 2;
   • partners’ liability is commensurate with their contribution to the companу;
   • Tax reporting is the personal responsibility of each partner, including by residence status and source of income.
3. A public companу in the UK (PLC – Public Limited Company) is an analogue of a joint-stock companу, the registration of which provides for:
   • minimum capital amount £50,000;
   • shares can be traded on the stock market;
   • PLC shareholders in the UK – foreign and local persons, the number of which is at least 2;
   • management team of JSC in Britain – at least 2 directors + a qualified secretary.

Also, UK companу formation agents that assist foreign businessmen:

28 Feb, Kwasi Kwarteng – “Business Minister Kwasi Kwarteng has said the British government plans to end the role of agents who offer to set up new businesses for a fee by setting up companiеs on behalf of clandestine foreign businessmen.

“Agents of companiеs from abroad will no longer be able to set up companiеs in the UK on behalf of foreign criminals or secretive oligarchs,” Kwarteng told parliament.

“The new property register and reforms to the Companies House will once again allow the UK to take innovative and world-leading steps to tackle anonymous shell companiеs.”

How to open an English companу in London for a non-resident

To companу formation in United Kingdom as an offshore (international) business structure with non-resident shareholders and/or founders, you will need:

1. Prepare at least 3 options for the companу name.
2. Form the management structure of the companу and remember that information about each PSC in the UK is filed with the Companies formation UK and may be public or private.
3. Prepare and submit to the registered agent documents for formation of a companу in UK:

• passport of the founder;
• confirmation of the address of residence;
• for founders-legal entities – corporate information.

1. A brief description of the business (business plan) indicating the types of activities, geography of customers, contacts and other information.
2. Opening a bank account.

Business taxation in England

All companiеs formations in the UK are having the status of a resident of the jurisdiction are required to pay tax on worldwide income at a rate of 19%.

In the event that a companу is recognized as offshore (non-resident), tax is charged only on profits that are formed in the country of incorporation (England). There is no tax on foreign sources, but it can be collected together with a fine if the audit of the companу reveals intentional tax evasion.