Choose your business structure
Legal structures for businesses - an overview
Company, partnership or sole trader - understand the differences and find the right structure for your new business.
Working for yourself
What it means to be self-employed, what you legally need to do if you work for yourself, and support for your business
Set up as a sole trader
Sole traders must register with HM Revenue and Customs and follow certain rules on running and naming their business
Set up a business partnership
How to set up a limited partnership, choose a business name, appoint partners and register with Companies House
Set up a limited company
How to incorporate and register a limited company and rules on directors, shares, articles of association and more
Running a limited company
An overview of the rules and responsibilities when you run a limited company including reporting requirements.
Expenses if you're self-employed
An overview of the types of business running costs you can and can't claim as a business expense from HMRC.
Choose the right structure for your social enterprise
The various types of social enterprise and how you can set one up, with links to forms and further information
Business organisational structure
Different types of business organisational structure, their pros and cons, and the reasons why you might want to change your business structure.