Get help and support for your business

Your business can get advice and financial help from government-backed schemes. Enter your details and select the type of support you need.

You can also get:

If you’re unemployed or on benefits you may be able to get extra help through your Jobcentre Plus work coach.

You can also contact Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) for confidential advice and help with employment law.

England

You can contact the government’s Business Support Service for free advice.

Business Support Service (England)
enquiries@businesssupportservice.co.uk
Telephone: 0800 998 1098
Webchat
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges

The Business Support Service for England is also:

You can also find free advice and sources of finance through your local ‘growth hub’.

Scotland

Get business support online, or over the phone.

Find Business Support Scotland
Telephone: 0300 303 0660
Textphone: 0800 023 2071
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges

Wales

Get help with your business online, or by calling the Business Wales Helpline.

Business Wales Helpline
Telephone: 0300 060 3000
Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges

Northern Ireland

Find business advice and support. You can also contact the Invest Northern Ireland helpline.

Invest Northern Ireland
Telephone: 0800 181 4422
Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges

Part of Set up a limited company: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if setting up a limited company is right for you

    1. Check what a private limited company is

    How you set up your business depends on what sort of work you do. It can also affect the way you pay tax and get funding.

    Check if you should set up as one of the following instead:

    1. Get help deciding how to set up your business

  2. Step 2 Choose a name

    1. Check the rules for company names
    2. Check if the name you want is available
    3. Check existing trade marks

  3. Step 3 Choose directors and a company secretary

    You must appoint a director but you do not have to appoint a company secretary.

    1. Find out what directors are responsible for
    2. Check who can be a director or company secretary

  4. Step 4 Decide who the shareholders or guarantors are

    You need at least one shareholder or guarantor, who can be a director.

    1. Check if you’ll need to issue shares or set a 'guaranteed amount'
    2. Find out how dividends from shares are taxed

  5. and Identify people with significant control (PSC) over your company

    For example, anyone with voting rights or more than 25% of the shares.

    1. Find out what counts as a PSC

  6. Step 5 Prepare documents agreeing how to run your company

    You need to prepare a 'memorandum of association' and 'articles of association'.

    1. Find out how to create a memorandum and articles of association

  7. Step 6 Check what records you'll need to keep

    1. Check the company and accounting records you must keep

  8. Step 7 Register your company

    You'll need to register an official address and choose a SIC code - this identifies what your company does.

    1. Check the rules for company addresses
    2. Check what your SIC code is
    3. Register your company with Companies House

    Most people can register for Corporation Tax at the same time as registering with Companies House.

    If you cannot, register separately with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) after you’ve registered your company with Companies House.

    1. Register with HMRC for Corporation Tax

Also part of