The Limited Company Blog
Plain-English articles and guides for UK company directors, written by our accountants and checked against the 2026/27 rules.
Latest articles
Fresh tax and accounting guidance for directors.
Limited Company Accounts: What They Include and When They Are Due
What goes into your statutory accounts, who files what, and the deadlines at Companies House and HMRC.
When Do You Need to Register for VAT in the UK?
The registration threshold, the 30-day rule and when voluntary registration makes sense.
Corporation Tax Rates 2026/27: Small Profits Rate and Marginal Relief
How the 19% and 25% rates work, and what happens to profits in between.
How to Pay Yourself from a Limited Company in 2026/27
Salary, dividends and the mix that usually keeps the most money in your pocket.
Limited Company vs Sole Trader: Which Is Better in 2026/27?
Tax, liability and admin compared, with the profit level where a company starts to win.
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Limited Company in the UK?
Accountancy fees, filing costs, software and the extras people forget to budget for.
Article library
40 in-depth articles, grouped by topic. Each opens with a short answer, then the detail.
Paying yourself (6)
Salary, dividends, pensions and getting money out tax-efficiently.
What Is the Best Director Salary for 2026/27?
What is the best director salary for 2026/27? Compare £6,708, £12,570 and £5,000 salaries, the NI effect and how dividends fill the gap.
Dividend Tax Rates 2026/27 and How to Reduce the Bill
Dividend tax rates for 2026/27 are 10.75%, 35.75% and 39.35%. See the £500 allowance, worked examples and legal ways to reduce the bill.
Director's Loan Account: Section 455 Tax Explained
Understand director's loan accounts, the 35.75% section 455 charge, the nine-month repayment rule and how to clear an overdrawn account.
Employer Pension Contributions: A Tax-Efficient Way to Pay Yourself
Learn how employer pension contributions cut Corporation Tax, avoid NI, the £60,000 annual allowance, carry forward and what to watch for.
Six Ways to Take Money Out of a Limited Company
Compare six legal ways to take money out of your limited company: salary, dividends, expenses, director loans, pensions and benefits.
Can You Pay Your Spouse Through Your Limited Company?
Learn how to pay a spouse or partner through your limited company, the duty to prove genuine work, NI rules and the dividend settlements trap.
Tax (9)
Corporation Tax, expenses, reliefs and exit planning.
Allowable Expenses for Limited Companies: What You Can Claim
A checklist of allowable expenses for UK limited companies, the wholly and exclusively test, what you cannot claim and how to keep records.
Working From Home Expenses for Company Directors
How limited company directors can claim working from home expenses, the £6 per week flat rate, the proportional method and common mistakes.
Mileage Claims and Company Cars for Limited Company Directors
Compare claiming mileage at 55p per mile, company cars, electric cars and van benefits for limited company directors, with real examples.
Ten Legal Ways to Reduce Your Corporation Tax Bill
Ten legitimate ways to reduce Corporation Tax: expenses, capital allowances, pensions, R&D relief, loss relief and timing decisions explained.
How to Pay Corporation Tax: Deadlines, Methods and Penalties
How and when to pay Corporation Tax: the 9 months and 1 day deadline, payment methods, quarterly instalments, interest and penalties.
Buying Equipment Through Your Limited Company: Capital Allowances
How capital allowances work for limited companies: the Annual Investment Allowance, full expensing, cars, vans and how to time purchases.
R&D Tax Relief for Small Limited Companies: Do You Qualify?
A plain-English guide to R&D tax relief for UK limited companies: qualifying activities, the merged scheme, costs you can include and how to claim.
Selling Your Limited Company: Tax on Exit and Business Asset Disposal Relief
What tax you pay when you sell a limited company: share sale versus asset sale, Business Asset Disposal Relief at 18%, CGT rates and planning ahead.
Benefits in Kind for Company Directors: P11D Explained
Benefits in kind for limited company directors: what is taxable, Class 1A NI at 15%, the P11D deadline of 6 July and tax-free perks.
VAT (4)
Registration, schemes, returns and what you can reclaim.
VAT Flat Rate Scheme vs Standard VAT: Which Is Better?
Compare the VAT flat rate scheme with standard VAT accounting: eligibility, percentages, the limited cost trader rule and worked examples.
How to Register for VAT: A Step-by-Step Guide for Limited Companies
Step-by-step guide to registering a limited company for VAT: the £90,000 threshold, the 30-day rule, voluntary registration and what to do next.
VAT on Business Expenses: What You Can and Cannot Reclaim
Which business expenses allow a VAT reclaim? Rules for cars, fuel, entertainment, home costs, mixed use and records you need for input VAT.
How to File a VAT Return: Deadlines, Boxes and Penalties
How to file a UK VAT return under Making Tax Digital: the nine boxes, deadlines, payment, late penalties and common errors for limited companies.
Company admin (10)
Companies House, directors, deadlines and payroll.
How Much Does It Cost to Set Up a Limited Company in the UK?
How much it costs to set up a UK limited company in 2026: Companies House fee, formation agents, address costs, accountant fees and a timeline.
How to Choose a Limited Company Name: Rules, Checks and Mistakes
How to choose a UK limited company name: Companies House rules, sensitive words, same-as checks, trademarks, domain names and mistakes to avoid.
Registered Office vs Trading Address: What Is the Difference?
Registered office versus trading address for UK limited companies: legal duties, public register, home address privacy and how to change them.
Confirmation Statement: How to File It and What It Costs
How to file a Companies House confirmation statement: the £50 online fee, 14-day filing window, information you must confirm and late penalties.
Companies House Identity Verification: A Step-by-Step Guide for Directors
How to verify your identity with Companies House: who must verify, the GOV.UK One Login route, the verification code and what happens if you do not.
How to Add a Director or Shareholder to Your Limited Company
How to appoint a director or issue shares to a new shareholder in a UK limited company: AP01, SH01, 14-day deadlines, agreements and tax effects.
Dormant Company: Filing Requirements and Tax Explained
What a dormant company is, how dormancy differs for Companies House and HMRC, the filings you still owe and the costs of keeping one.
Striking Off vs Liquidation: How to Close Your Limited Company
Compare striking off, members' voluntary liquidation and creditors' voluntary liquidation to close a UK limited company, with costs and tax effects.
Payroll for a One-Director Limited Company: Do You Need It?
Do you need payroll for a one-director limited company? PAYE, NI thresholds, Employment Allowance, RTI filing and when payroll is not required in 2026/27.
The Limited Company Director's Tax Calendar: Key Deadlines
A month-by-month UK limited company director's calendar for 2026/27: Corporation Tax, VAT, PAYE, accounts, Self Assessment and Companies House deadlines.
Accounts (5)
Bookkeeping, year-end accounts and software.
Bookkeeping for Limited Companies: A Simple System That Works
A practical bookkeeping system for UK limited companies: what records to keep, a weekly routine, software options, receipts and how long to keep them.
Year-End Accounts for a Limited Company: A Step-by-Step Timeline
A step-by-step timeline of limited company year-end accounts: records to gather, adjustments, filing deadlines, Corporation Tax payment and director tasks.
How to Read a Profit and Loss Account and Balance Sheet
How to read a UK limited company's profit and loss account and balance sheet: key lines, ratios, retained profit and what the figures tell you.
Ten Common Accounting Mistakes Limited Company Directors Make
Ten common accounting mistakes made by UK limited company directors, from mixing personal spending to missing deadlines, and how to prevent each one.
Choosing Accounting Software for a UK Limited Company
How to choose accounting software for a UK limited company: Making Tax Digital, bank feeds, invoicing, payroll, price and how to switch.
Business types (6)
Contractors, property, e-commerce and special situations.
Contractor Limited Company vs Umbrella Company: Which Is Better?
Contractor limited company versus umbrella company: how each works, take-home pay, IR35 status, costs, admin and which suits you in 2026/27.
Incorporating Your Sole Trader Business: How to Transfer to a Limited Company
How to move from sole trader to a limited company: incorporation relief, VAT, contracts, employees, bank accounts and the timing and costs involved.
Buy-to-Let Through a Limited Company: Is an SPV Worth It?
Is buying property through a limited company worth it? Section 24, Corporation Tax, SDLT surcharge, mortgages and the cost of taking profits out.
E-commerce Sellers: Limited Company Tax and VAT Essentials
Tax and VAT basics for UK e-commerce sellers using a limited company: Amazon, eBay and Shopify, VAT thresholds, imports, stock and costs.
Starting a Side Hustle Limited Company While Employed
Can you run a limited company while employed? Contracts, tax, salary vs dividends, the trading allowance and admin for UK side hustles in 2026/27.
Non-UK Resident Directors and Expats Running a UK Limited Company
Can a non-UK resident run a UK limited company? Tax, residency, Companies House, banking, VAT and compliance for overseas directors and expats in 2026/27.
In-depth guides
25 step-by-step guides, grouped by topic.
Starting and closing a company
Paying yourself
Tax and VAT
Need something quicker?
Quick answers
75 short answers to common director questions.
Calculators
Corporation Tax, dividends, VAT and take-home pay.
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