Get your business sorted — with the real apply-now links.

Sole trader = simplest: you are the business, less paperwork, profits taxed via Self Assessment. Limited company = separate legal entity: your personal assets are protected, often more tax-efficient once profits grow (a common rule of thumb: think seriously about a company around £50,000+ revenue), but more admin. Not sure? Our calculator weighs it for your numbers.

• Sole trader: register for Self Assessment with HMRC — free, and you must do it by 5 October after the tax year you started.
• Limited company: register at Companies House online for £50 — you need a name, an address, a director and a share structure. Most applications are approved within 24 hours.

Limited companies need a separate account (the money is the company’s, not yours); sole traders aren’t legally required to but it makes tax season far easier. Free app-based accounts exist — typically opened from your phone in minutes with photo ID once your registration is through:

Prefer a branch? Every high-street bank (Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC, Santander) offers business accounts — many free for the first 12 months, then a monthly fee; compare before you commit. Check any provider is real first: run it through Check a Firm (FCA register + Companies House).

You don’t legally need one — but a good accountant usually saves more than they cost once you’re trading. The trap: “accountant” is not a protected title in the UK — anyone can use it. So pick from the regulated registers, where members are qualified, insured and answerable to a professional body:

• Ask for a fixed monthly or annual fee in writing, and exactly what it covers (accounts, tax return, payroll, VAT?).
• Get two or three quotes — prices vary widely for identical work.
• Sole trader with simple income? You may not need one yet — HMRC’s free tools + our Self Assessment guide can carry you a long way.

• Sole trader: Self Assessment each year — register once, file by 31 January. Plain-English guide.
• Limited company: register for Corporation Tax within 3 months of starting to trade; accounts to Companies House yearly.
• VAT: compulsory once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12 months — watch it monthly, not yearly.
• Hiring? Register as an employer (PAYE) before the first payday, and remember pension auto-enrolment.

One business insurance is a legal requirement: employers’ liability insurance (at least £5 million) the day you employ anyone — you can be fined for every day without it. Public liability and professional indemnity are optional but often required by clients, landlords or your industry body. Compare quotes from any broker — and check the insurer on the FCA register first.

Food, taxis, alcohol, music, street trading, childminding, beauty treatments — hundreds of activities need a licence, usually from your council. GOV.UK’s licence finder tells you exactly which apply to your business and links each application:

• Start Up Loans — government-backed, up to £25,000 per director at 6% fixed, with free mentoring.
• Small Business Rate Relief — up to 100% off business rates on premises under £12,000 rateable value: check in 2 minutes (and never pay a rates consultant 30–50% for it).
• Local growth hubs — free advice + region-specific grants; our grant finder covers the rest.
• Owed money by customers? Late-payment recovery routes are on the Business hub.