Company creation

[fumanchu]

I need to set up a company and wondered if anyone can suggest a source of info as to how to do it. I will be the "sole trader" and will be doing admin for the company my dp works for. This company can only pay me if I have a company, rather than as an individual. Any suggestions welcome.

Hi, the Companies House website should be a good starting point but I think you can also use a formation agent who will do it all for you. My mum used this method and it cost about £50 for a very simple set up like yours, however, I would think you should be able to do it yourself with the help of www.companieshouse.gov.u. Good Luck

sorry www.companieshouse.gov.uk ......

Setting up the company is the easy bit, you are going to need someone to do accounts for companies house and for HMRC and a corporation tax computation, possibly register for PAYE if you are going to pay yourself a salary, understand how to take dividends out of the company... and perhaps above all, get to grips with IR35 because the company your dp works for are probably asking you to work through a company to avoid being an employee of theirs.

If you think this is going to be tough to get on top of, there are a number of firms that will do all that for you - google contractor accounts. Budget for £1,000 a year for a fully administered package, although you might find a non-IR35 specialist for less. Business Link has some good information about starting a business generally, and the Professional Contractors Group has information which is probably relevant to what you are looking at doing.

Thanks very much everyone.