How to start a business in London
Legal foundations
Get off to a good start when bringing your business to London by learning how to set up a UK company, choose a legal entity and all you need to know about visas.
Step one: set up your UK company
Start with the essentials: learn all about the different legal entities and which one is the best for your business, tax registration and intellectual property laws in the UK with our guide on how to set up a UK company.
Step two: guide to UK visas
Find out how to employ staff for your London-based team, including people from outside the UK and the different visa types for business and working in London.
Financial and tax
Once the legal foundations are taken care of, learn how to open a business bank account in the UK and all about taxes and VAT incentives.
Step three: how to open a UK business bank account
Discover everything you need to know about how to open a business bank account, and learn about the UK's business incentives and business models.
Step four: UK tax essentials
Understand how UK business tax regulations work and learn about the generous tax incentives and low corporation tax rates.
Finding talent and employment tax
Now it's time think about assembling your dream team. Find out how to hire skilled talent, best practices for recruitment and employment tax.
Step five: How to recruit London's best talent
Discover how to find highly skilled workers for your London team using agencies, job boards, networking and more.
Step six: employment tax
Find out how to grow your London team by hiring international employees, whether they are permanent, temporary or just in the city for a business trip.
Step seven: National Insurance Contributions
Learn all you need to know about UK employer's National Insurance Contributions and taxes to avoid expensive penalties.
Setting up your office
London has an amazing ecosystem of tech hubs, world-class education and research institutions and thriving cultural, food and entertainment scenes. It's time to find the location for your dream office!
Step eight: How to find your London office space
Get advice on which London office space is best for your business, as well as average prices and tips for negotiating a lease.
Get ready for the big move
Find all you need to relocate to and make the most of your experience of living in London.
Step nine: A guide to relocating to London
Get a head start on your property search with this helpful insider's guide to the capital's rental market, and make the most of living and working in the city.
How we can help
London & Partners offers free advice to potential and existing overseas investors, from startups to established companies.
We can help you:
- Stay informed and access the latest developments, initiatives and incentives.
- Connect with the wider ecosystem, including support networks and trade associations.
- Future-proof the setup of your London business.
Get a .LONDON domain name
Register a .LONDON domain name for your business in the capital.
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