Setting Up a Business in the United Kingdom

An in-depth guide for foreign entrepreneurs and companies looking to enter the UK market — one state with four distinct legal and administrative traditions, where company law is uniform but nation-specific rules genuinely shape where a business should actually locate staff, property, and goods movement.
This guide covers legal structures (Ltd, no UK-resident director required), business taxation — including a 25% main Corporation Tax rate above £250,000 of profit and a 19% small profits rate below £50,000 — company formation via Companies House, the cost of labor, and immigration routes for executives, investors, and entrepreneurs. Includes a dedicated profile for each of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — covering devolved tax rules, Northern Ireland’s distinct post-Brexit customs arrangements under the Windsor Framework, and an explicit note that UK incorporation no longer carries automatic EU market access. Includes an operational checklist and useful contacts.
Available in English