The United Kingdom (U.K.) offers access to top talent, but figuring out how to set up a subsidiary in the U.K. can take months and delay your plans. Plus, ongoing compliance requirements slow hiring timelines, making it harder to secure candidates when you need them. However, G-P offers an alternative. Instead of taking the conventional subsidiary route in the U.K., we can expedite your entry — no new entities required — so you can start hiring in minutes, not months.

How to set up a subsidiary in the U.K.

A subsidiary is legally separate from its owners, shareholders, and directors. The most common type in the U.K. is a private limited company (Ltd), as it offers flexibility and risk protection. 

Steps to incorporate a subsidiary in the U.K.

1. Choose a company name: It needs to comply with U.K. regulations and it can’t be a name that’s already registered with Companies House, the U.K.’s registrar of companies.
2. Secure an address: Choose a physical address in the U.K. where official correspondence can be sent.
3. Appoint stakeholders: Appoint at least one director, who must be a natural person and not a company, and at least one shareholder. Their details must be submitted during registration.
4. Identify persons with significant control (PSC): Identify any people or entities that own or control your company. You must keep a PSC register and file this information with Companies House. All new and existing company directors and PSC must also verify their identities with Companies House, ideally before they’re appointed.
5. Create a memorandum and articles of association: These documents outline your company’s rules and what it does.
6. Register with Companies House: Apply to incorporate your company with Companies House. This is usually done online.

After company registration in the U.K., you also need to:

  • Open a corporate bank account: This can be a lengthy process, but it’s essential for managing finances, payroll, and taxes.

  • Register with His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC): Register with HMRC for corporate tax within three months of starting your business.

  • Register for pay as you earn (PAYE): Before hiring your first employee, you must register with the PAYE system for income tax and National Insurance contributions.

  • Register for value-added tax (VAT): Registration for VAT is mandatory if your VAT-taxable turnover is more than GBP 90,000 in a 12-month period.

  • Get liability insurance: You need at least GBP 5M in employer’s liability coverage as soon as you become an employer.

U.K. subsidiary laws and requirements

You have to meet several legal requirements to set up a subsidiary company in the U.K.:

  • Management: Directors must comply with duties set out in the Companies Act 2006, including acting in the company’s best interests and maintaining statutory registers.

  • Taxation: Companies pay a flat rate of 25% on profits for corporate tax.

  • Share capital: At least one share must be issued when the company is formed. Share capital for an Ltd company can be as little as GBP 1. 

  • Accounting and reporting: Annual accounts are filed with Companies House, along with a statement to confirm company details.

Advantages of U.K. subsidiaries

  • Market access: Establishing a subsidiary in the U.K. gives you direct access to the local market, boosting business and customer growth.

  • Limited liability: The parent company’s liability is generally limited to its investment in the subsidiary, reducing your financial risk.

  • Legal entity status: A subsidiary is a separate legal entity that can enter into contracts, own assets, and hire employees independently.

  • Established presence: Having a registered U.K. entity signals a strong, long-term commitment to the market. This builds credibility with local customers, partners, and talent.

  • Tax benefits: Setting up a subsidiary in the U.K. can offer tax advantages, but these depend on your business activities, structure, and long-term goals.

Disadvantages of U.K. subsidiaries

Managing a U.K. subsidiary comes with heavy administrative burdens and financial liabilities. While direct entity ownership offers control, the path to market capture is often slow and resource-intensive compared to using G-P’s Global Employment Platform.

High costs and resource demands

Setting up a subsidiary is a major capital investment including:

  • Legal fees: High upfront costs for registration and professional counsel.

  • Physical infrastructure: Maintaining a registered office and local bank accounts.

  • Capital: Significant day zero investment to cover incorporation and licensing.

Administrative complexity

A U.K. subsidiary is a separate legal entity. Your organization must manage all local operations independently.

  • Reporting: You must meet full U.K. statutory filing obligations, including annual accounts and tax returns.

  • Governance: You must appoint directors who bear personal liability for company compliance.

  • Setup times: Building a functional subsidiary can take months — often causing you to miss critical market opportunities.

Compliance and legal risks

Operating an entity in the U.K. shifts all legal risk to your organization.

  • Taxation: You must navigate complex corporation tax laws and HMRC transfer pricing rules.

  • Employment liability: As the legal employer, your organization is responsible for HR compliance and adhering to U.K. labor laws.

  • Regulatory shifts: You must adapt to changing frameworks, which increases the risk of costly errors without in-country experts.

Alternative to setting up a U.K. subsidiary

G-P lets you hire talent in minutes without the hassle of entity setup.

The benefits of using an employer of record (EOR) in the U.K. include:

  • Faster market entry: An EOR lets you enter the U.K. market and begin hiring in a fraction of the time it would take to set up an Ltd company. Setting up a subsidiary can take months due to regulatory, banking, and admin requirements.

  • Compliance assurance: The EOR acts as the legal employer for your U.K.-based team, taking on all statutory obligations. This includes registering with HMRC for PAYE, handling payroll, deducting and remitting income tax and National Insurance, and ensuring compliance with labor laws like the Employment Rights Act 1996, Working Time Regulations 1998, and Equality Act 2010. 

  • Administrative simplicity: The EOR manages all HR and payroll administration, as well as employer and employee tax filing. You don’t need to draft compliant employment contracts or manage statutory benefits like annual leave and pensions — the EOR does it for you.

  • Cost efficiency: Setting up and maintaining a subsidiary, like an Ltd company, has major upfront and ongoing costs, including legal fees, accounting, local management, and administrative overhead. An EOR is more cost-effective, especially if you’re hiring a small team or testing the U.K. market.

  • Flexibility: An EOR arrangement is easier to scale up or down compared to winding down a subsidiary.

  • Risk mitigation: An EOR manages the legal risks associated with employment, such as worker classification, giving you an added layer of protection.

Enter new markets with G-P — no new entities needed

Setting up a subsidiary or legal entity in the U.K. is costly and time-consuming. G-P EOR allows you to hire talent in minutes without the hassle and complications of a subsidiary.

Request a proposal today to learn more about our Global Employment Platform.