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Cost of incorporating a company via Companies House website to increase from £12 to £50

Cost of incorporating a company via Companies House website to increase from £12 to £50
Dan Martin
Dan MartinDan Martin Content & Events

Posted: Mon 19th Feb 2024

The fee for setting up a limited company using the Companies House website will rise from £12 to £50 in May.

The increase to the charge, which hasn't changed since 2016, follows a review of how the government's new Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Act will impact on the costs incurred by Companies House.

The regulations are designed to prevent organised criminals and fraud by giving Companies House enhanced powers to verify the identities of company directors, remove fraudulent organisations from the company register and share information with criminal investigation agencies.

The first changes in the Act are expected to come into force on 4 March.

Companies House fees increase

As well as the increase in incorporating a limited company online, a newly published list of Companies House fees from 1 May 2024 shows other increases. For example, the cost to incorporate using paper will rise from £40 to £71, changing a company name online will increase from £8 to £20, and registering a Community Interest Company (CIC) online will go from £27 to £65.

In a blog post about its fees, Companies House said:

"Companies House fees are set on a cost recovery basis. This means our fees must cover the cost of the services we deliver. We do not make a profit on our fees.

"We review our fees every year to make sure they're set at the right level. This year, we've taken new future expenditure into account as well as making sure we recover costs from our existing expenditure.

"Companies House fees are much lower than the global average and have not changed since 2016. Many believe our fees are too low.

"During the debates while the ECCT Bill has moved through Parliament, there's been a focus on the low levels of our fees and on making sure we're adequately funded in the future."

Dan Martin
Dan MartinDan Martin Content & Events
I'm a freelance journalist and event host who helps small businesses and the organisations that support them. I'm also Enterprise Nation's news reporter and Bristol Local Leader. I have 20 years of experience as a small business journalist having interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs from famous names like Sir Richard Branson and Deborah Meaden to the founders behind brand new start-ups. I've worked for a range of leading small business publications and support groups, most recently as head of content at Enterprise Nation where I was responsible for the prolific output of content on the company's blog and social media. I now freelance for Enterprise Nation as the website's news reporter and as the host of the Small Business sessions podcast. I'm based in Bristol where I run and host regular events with the local small business community in my role as Enterprise Nation's Local Leader for Bristol. I also have strong connections with other major business organisations in the south west region. In total, I've hosted over 100 events including conferences with an audience of hundreds for international brands like Xero and Facebook and live web chats from inside 10 Downing Street. With my partner, I co-run Lifestyle District, a lifestyle blog focused on culture, art, theatre and photography.

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