How to register a business in the UK

First decide how you will trade

Do not begin with a registration form. Begin with the structure: sole trader, limited company or partnership. The registrations and ongoing records differ.

If you are a sole trader

You normally register with HMRC for Self Assessment when the rules require it, then keep records of business income and expenses.

If you form a company

The company is registered with Companies House. You then have ongoing responsibilities for company records, accounts and tax.

Set up the boring bits immediately

Create a separate place for business money, decide how you will issue invoices, and choose a simple bookkeeping process. Doing these on day one is far easier than rebuilding six months of records later.