Setting up a UK business

To get things moving, you’ll need to build a UK team without taking on unnecessary employment risk. Issues often arise around moving contractors to employee status, inconsistent templates and how benefits or equity should work here. We put in place clear offers, contracts, policies and conversion plans that reflect UK law and your culture. You hire faster, set expectations clearly and avoid unpleasant surprises.

To access the best talent, you may need a sponsor licence and a repeatable visa process. Eligibility, record-keeping and Skilled Worker details are the usual hurdles. We obtain the licence, set up simple compliance routines and manage visas from application to approval. Hiring stays on track and timelines become predictable.

The goal is simple: close UK customers without friction. Delays come from liability positions, governing law and procurement standards that differ from your home market. We localise your MSAs, SaaS terms and partner agreements and provide practical negotiation fallbacks. Deals move faster and contracts are easier to sign.

Meet UK GDPR requirements and give your customers confidence in how you manage data. Nuances around transfer tools, DPIAs and vendor risk often create drag. We tailor privacy notices and DPAs, implement the right transfer mechanisms and prepare incident and security materials that satisfy enterprise buyers. Sales cycles face fewer data-related roadblocks.

From day one, your IP and brand should sit in the right place and be clearly owned or licensed. Gaps appear when assignments are patchy or when contractors hold rights. We fix chain-of-title, embed robust IP clauses in your contracts, set inter-company licences where appropriate and shape a UK trade mark strategy. Investors, customers and recruits see a well-protected platform.

Value and risk must be documented properly across the group. Problems tend to be undocumented services, unclear cost allocation and ad-hoc board processes. We document inter-company services and IP licences, establish a sensible board calendar and train directors on UK duties. You get a clean audit trail and governance that scales.

You’re deciding whether to take space, stay flexible or go remote-first. Risks include unfavourable serviced-office terms, overlooked health and safety duties and weak controls for remote kit and data. We negotiate sensible premises documents and put in place remote-working policies and safeguards. You get an operating model that supports growth while managing risk.

If your UK offer touches payments, lending, e-money or other regulated activity, you’ll need to confirm whether you require FCA authorisation/registration (or can operate under an exemption/agency model) and align contracts, disclosures and controls accordingly. We assess your model, confirm permissions or exemptions, prepare a robust application pack and the policies and controls you’ll need (including safeguarding, disclosures and Anti-Money Laundering), and guide you through the FCA process end-to-end.