Business Set Up Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on business set up for uk businesses.
Legal Checklist For Opening A Cafe In The UK
Opening a cafe is one of those business ideas that feels both exciting and slightly daunting at the same time. You’re not just selling coffee and pastries - you’re creating a space...
11 February 2026
Inside the micro-startup boom: How tiny teams are building profitable new businesses - legally
Growing headcount doesn’t necessarily mean growing profit. For a long time, business growth followed a familiar formula: more customers meant more work, and more work meant more people. Scale looked like bigger...
9 February 2026
How To Start A Carpentry Business In The UK: Legal Essentials
Starting a carpentry business can be a brilliant move. Demand is steady, word-of-mouth can travel fast, and once you’ve built a reputation for quality and reliability, you can grow from solo jobs...
5 February 2026
Sole Trader Liability: What You’re Personally Responsible For And How To Reduce Risk
Running your business as a sole trader can feel like the simplest option - fewer admin tasks, fewer formalities, and you can get started quickly. But there’s a trade-off many small business...
5 February 2026
Buying A Shelf Company In the UK: Legal Risks And Due Diligence
If you’re trying to launch quickly, you’ve probably seen ads offering a shelf company for sale (sometimes called an “off the shelf company”). The pitch is simple: buy a shelf company, take...
4 February 2026Do I Need A Business Formation Lawyer?
Starting a business is exciting - but it can also feel like there are a thousand “small” decisions to make, and each one seems like it could have long-term consequences. One of...
2 February 2026
Companies House £13 Fee: What It Covers And When It Applies
If you run a UK limited company (or you’re about to set one up), you’ll probably come across the Companies House £13 fee at some point. It’s small enough to seem like...
2 February 2026
What Is A Company, Anyway? (2026 Updated)
If you're starting (or scaling) a business in 2026, you've probably heard people say "just set up a company" as if it's a quick admin job. But what is a company actually...
31 January 2026Phantom Share Option Plans - 6 Things You Need To Know (2026 Updated)
If you're trying to attract (and keep) great people in 2026, you've probably heard the same advice a hundred times: "Offer equity." But what if you're not ready to give away real...
31 January 2026
What Are Franchising Royalties? (2026 Updated)
Franchising can be a great way to grow a business without personally funding (and managing) every new location. But if you're looking at franchising your business - or buying into a franchise...
31 January 2026Advantages Of Franchising: Key Benefits For UK Businesses
If you’re weighing up whether to start a business from scratch or buy into an existing model, franchising can sometimes look like a “safer” option. In many cases it can reduce some...
30 January 2026
What Is Unlimited Liability In Business? (UK Guide for Small Businesses)
Unlimited liability is one of those legal terms that sounds abstract - until something goes wrong. In simple terms, it means you are personally responsible for the business’s debts and legal claims....
27 January 2026
Redeeming Shares: A Step-by-Step UK Guide to Share Buybacks
If you’re running a UK limited company, there comes a time when you might want to “clean up” the shareholding. Maybe a co-founder is exiting. Maybe an early investor wants out. Maybe...
27 January 2026
These legal myths are going to cost you big
Legal myths can cost business owners a lot of money - sometimes even derail a business entirely. We’re not being dramatic; there’s no Loch Ness Monster lurking under a legal document. But...
27 January 2026
Going Public: What UK SMEs Need To Know About Public Companies
If your business is growing fast, you’ve probably heard people talk about “going public” as the next big step. But what is a public company in the UK, and what does it...
27 January 2026Pros And Cons Of Being A Sole Trader In The UK
Choosing the right business structure is one of those “small” setup decisions that can have a big impact on your day-to-day operations, admin, risk exposure and growth options. If you’re starting a...
27 January 2026
What Is A Public Company? Requirements, Pros, Cons & Key Differences
If you’re building a business that’s starting to scale, you’ve probably heard people talk about “going public” as if it’s the ultimate milestone. But before you get ahead of yourself, it’s worth...
27 January 2026
Special Resolutions: Decisions That Need 75% Approval in the UK
Most shareholder decisions in a UK company can be made with a simple majority. But when a decision is big enough to change the company’s “rules”, reshape shareholder rights, or alter the...
26 January 2026
Shareholders Agreement Solicitors: When UK Startups and SMEs Need Help
If you’re building a UK startup or growing an SME with more than one shareholder, you’re probably spending most of your time on the fun (and urgent) parts - product, customers, hiring,...
25 January 2026What Does Subsidiary Mean In The UK? How Subsidiary Companies Work
If you’re growing a small business, you’ll hear the word “subsidiary” come up sooner or later - usually when you start thinking about expansion, investors, risk, or setting up a new venture...
25 January 2026
Companies House Fees: Filing Costs And Staying Compliant In The UK
If you’re running a limited company in the UK (or you’re about to set one up), Companies House filings are one of those “non-negotiables” you’ll deal with every year. And while the...
24 January 2026What Does LLP Mean?
If you’re choosing a business structure in the UK, you’ve probably come across the acronym “LLP” and wondered what LLP means - and whether it’s the right fit for your business. It’s...
23 January 2026What Does Jurisdiction Mean for UK Businesses?
If you’ve ever read a contract and seen a line like “the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction”, you’re not alone in wondering what jurisdiction means in practice. For...
23 January 2026
Sole Proprietorship In The UK: Pros, Cons And Key Legal Considerations
Starting a business can feel like a big leap - especially when you’re trying to choose the “right” structure before you’ve even made your first sale. If you’re looking for something simple...
23 January 2026
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