Build a UK company from abroad — with the UK obligations connected from day one.
Britvex supports overseas founders who want to establish and maintain a UK limited company, connecting formation, registered-office arrangements, bookkeeping, annual accounts, Corporation Tax and ongoing company compliance.
Yes — but the company still needs to satisfy the UK company rules.
Companies House does not require a director of a private limited company to live in the UK. The company must, however, have the required directors, ownership information, identity details and an appropriate UK registered office.
You do not have to live in the UK.
A private limited company must have at least one director, but Companies House guidance says directors do not have to live in the UK.
The company does need a UK registered office.
The registered office must be an appropriate physical UK address in the same jurisdiction in which the company is registered.
Identity verification is part of the current Companies House regime.
Directors and people with significant control fall within the Companies House identity-verification requirements and may need personal codes for filings.
The director remains responsible for the company.
Using an accountant or formation provider does not transfer the director’s legal responsibility for the company’s accounts, records and required filings.
Get the company information ready before the formation is submitted.
Overseas founders often focus first on the UK address. The formation also needs the people, ownership, control and company information behind that address.
Proposed name and activity
Identify the company name and the nature of the business that the UK company is expected to conduct.
Who will run the company?
Provide the required director information and ensure the people appointed are able to act as directors.
Shareholders and share structure
Set out the initial ownership of the company and the proposed share structure before incorporation.
People with significant control
Identify relevant PSCs and the control information required for the Companies House record.
Registered office and service addresses
Arrange the appropriate address structure before submitting the company formation.
Companies House verification details
Relevant directors and controllers should have the identity-verification information needed for the current filing process.
Structure → Verify → Incorporate → Maintain.
The goal is not merely to receive a certificate of incorporation. It is to establish a company that has a workable UK-side accounting and compliance structure immediately afterward.
Define the proposed UK company.
Directors, shareholders, PSCs, company activity, registered office and the initial company information are organised.
Prepare the required identity details.
Relevant individuals complete the Companies House identity-verification process using the permitted route for their circumstances.
Submit the UK company formation.
Once Companies House accepts the incorporation, the certificate confirms that the UK company legally exists.
Move into the ongoing company relationship.
Address services, bookkeeping, payroll, annual accounts, Corporation Tax and company compliance can then continue from the same setup.
Do not confuse “UK company” with “UK establishment of an overseas company.”
They are different Companies House routes with different filing requirements. Britvex’s Overseas Founders service is primarily designed around founders establishing and maintaining a UK limited company.
The registered office is a legal company address — not just a location on a website.
Overseas founders frequently need an address solution before incorporation. Companies House requires an appropriate physical registered office in the relevant UK jurisdiction.
Do not leave Companies House verification until the formation is ready to submit.
The verification route can depend on what identity evidence the individual has available and whether they use the direct Companies House route or an appropriately authorised agent.
Britvex can organise the formation information around the current Companies House requirements. We should only describe Britvex as performing Companies House identity verification itself where the relevant authorised-agent status and service scope are confirmed.
The company now exists. The recurring UK obligations begin.
For an overseas founder, the biggest advantage of keeping the work connected is having one UK-side relationship that already understands the company created at formation.
Overseas ownership does not remove the company’s UK obligations.
The company’s accounting and tax requirements depend on its activities and circumstances. The founder’s personal tax position is a separate question.
Bookkeeping
Maintain the UK company’s financial records so later accounts and tax work start from reliable information.
Bookkeeping →Annual Accounts
Prepare the company’s statutory accounts and keep the Companies House filing connected to the underlying records.
Annual Accounts →Corporation Tax
Calculate and file the company’s Corporation Tax position from the same year-end financial information.
Corporation Tax →Personal UK Tax
If the founder also has relevant UK personal income, gains or property, that may require a separate UK tax review.
Non-Resident Tax →A practical UK-side route for founders operating from the UAE.
Britvex can support UAE-based founders with the UK company formation, address arrangements, accounting, tax and company compliance needed for the UK entity.
The service remains focused on the UK side. UAE corporate tax, local licensing, immigration and other UAE-specific matters should be assessed separately where required.
Your UK accountant should remain accessible when you are overseas.
Britvex connects onboarding, company documents, accounting and communication through a UK practice and secure client portal.
Before you form the UK company.
These are general UK company points. The correct structure still depends on the proposed business, ownership and the founder’s wider circumstances.
Do I have to live in the UK to be a director of a UK limited company?
No. Companies House guidance says directors do not have to live in the UK, although the company must have an appropriate UK registered office address.
Does a UK private company need a director?
Yes. A private limited company must have at least one director. The director has legal responsibilities for running the company and ensuring company accounts and reports are properly prepared.
Can I use my overseas address as the company’s registered office?
No. The registered office must be an appropriate physical address in the UK and in the same UK jurisdiction in which the company is registered.
Will the registered office be public?
Yes. The company’s registered office address is publicly available on the Companies House register.
Do overseas directors need Companies House identity verification?
The Companies House identity-verification regime applies to directors and other relevant company roles. Overseas residence does not remove the verification requirement.
Is forming a UK company the same as registering my existing overseas business in the UK?
No. Incorporating a new UK limited company and registering a UK establishment of an existing overseas company are different Companies House routes.
Does Britvex support the company after incorporation?
Yes. Britvex can connect eligible address services, bookkeeping, payroll, annual accounts, Corporation Tax and company compliance around the new UK company.
Form the UK company with the next twelve months already in view.
Tell us where you are based, what the UK company will do and who will own and run it. Britvex can then connect the formation to the registered office, accounting, tax and company-compliance work needed afterward.