FAQ
After formation
5 questions and answers on after formation.
After formation (5)
What is the first thing I do after forming my British company?
First, save the Certificate of Incorporation and the MEM/ARTS documents in a safe place — you will need them for the bank and Stripe. Second, register your company with HMRC to obtain a UTR within 3 months of starting activity or receiving any revenue.
Third, open a Wise Business account or a suitable digital bank and connect it to the payment gateway. Fourth, if your sales exceed the VAT threshold (£90,000 per year) or you deal with VAT-registered companies, register for VAT.
Fifth, organise your invoices and keep simple bookkeeping from day one — even if you do not file complex accounts in the first year. At Eteform we send you a checklist in Arabic after formation and remind you of the CS01 and annual accounts deadlines.
Do not delay opening the bank account; every day of delay means a delay in receiving your revenue.
How do I issue an invoice in my British company's name?
A British invoice must include: the full company name with Ltd, the registration number (Company Number), the registered office, the invoice date and sequential number, a description of the service or product, the amount before and after VAT if you are registered for it, and the VAT number if applicable.
You can use free tools such as Wave or Paid, or create a simple template in Word/Google Docs — what matters is consistency and keeping a copy of every invoice for 6 years. If you are not VAT-registered, do not add 20% tax to the invoice.
For Arab clients, you can add the Wise bank details (IBAN and BIC) or a Stripe Payment Link. We recommend issuing invoices in English for international clients, and you can add an Arabic translation for clarity. Eteform provides a ready invoice template for our clients with their company details pre-filled.
Do I need the Certificate of Incorporation to operate?
Yes, the certificate of incorporation is the official document that proves your company exists legally — banks, Stripe, PayPal and most platforms request it at registration.
Companies House issues it electronically (PDF) as soon as the formation is approved, and a printed copy is optional in our packages that include printing. Keep the digital copy on your phone and in the cloud; you will not need to send the original to anyone in most cases.
If you lose it, you can download a new copy free of charge from the Companies House register via your company number. Some Gulf clients think they need a certificate certified by an embassy — this is rarely required except for specific government contracts.
For daily work with Wise and Stripe, the official PDF is completely sufficient.
What is a Company Registration Number and how do I find it?
A Company Registration Number (CRN) is your company's unique number in the Companies House register — like a national ID number for the company. It usually consists of 8 digits (or two letters followed by 6 digits for older companies).
You find it at the top of the certificate of incorporation, in every official correspondence from Companies House, and on the companieshouse.gov.uk website by searching your company name. You will need it for everything: opening a bank account, registering with HMRC, issuing invoices, and contracts with suppliers.
At Eteform we send you the CRN as soon as the company is formed, with a direct link to your company's public page on the register. Save it in your password manager or notes — you will be asked for it often. It never changes even if you change the company name later.
Can I add a partner or shareholder later?
Yes, you can add a new director or shareholder after formation by filing official forms with Companies House — most notably AP01 to add a director and SH01 to issue new shares. The new partner is subject to the same ECCTA 2023 identity verification requirements.
You can also transfer existing shares between shareholders via form J30 (Stock Transfer Form). The changes appear on the public register within days.
If you started alone with 100 shares and want to bring in a partner at 50/50, new shares can be issued or part of your shares transferred — each option has different tax implications that should be reviewed with an accountant. Eteform helps you file these changes for a clear service fee.
We recommend agreeing a written Shareholders Agreement before bringing in any partner — Companies House does not provide this automatically.