Every company must deliver a confirmation statement to Companies House at least once every 12 months. It has 14 days from the expected date to do this. This is a statement confirming that the data held at Companies House is correct. Companies House will write to every company at its registered office when the confirmation statement is due to be filed.

From 30th June 2016, all companies and LLPs with a made up date of on or after this date must file an annual Confirmation Statement. The confirmation statement replaces the annual return.

The confirmation statement confirms that the following information held at Companies House is correct:

• director(s)

• secretary

• LLP members

• registered office

• sail address

• SIC codes

• persons of significant control

And if the company has share capital, the confirmation statement must also contain:

• the nominal value of total issued share capital

• the names and addresses of shareholders and the number and type of shares they hold or transfer from other shareholders

We provide a confirmation statement filing service. Please click on the link for more details. Company Filing Services

The seal is used to imprint your company details on documents. Whilst no longer a mandatory requirement, Company Seals do offer authenticity to a document. Details that can be included are company name and number –although the length of your name will determine how much information can fit.

To purchase a company seal from UKplc Company Registrations, please click here

This document sets out:

• the company's name
• where the registered office of the company is situated (in England, Wales or Scotland); and
• what it will do (its objects). The object of a company may simply be to carry on business as a general commercial company.

Other clauses to be included in the memorandum depend on the type of company being incorporated.

Our standard memorandum tries to cover most business types so you will be able to trade without restriction; however you should take professional advice if concerned. We provide both the Articles of Association and Memorandum in electronic format so they are easy to amend if required at some point in the future.

The subscriber named in the Memorandum and Articles will be the subscriber you entered before formation from the pre-Registration pages of the admin section.

The registered office is an address in England or Wales (or Scotland if your company is registered there) where documents can be delivered to the company. This is where government bodies such as Companies House will send correspondence and also where court documents are served. If a company changes its registered office address the new address must be notified to Companies House on Form AD01. If you have formed your company through UKplc Company Registrations, you can change your registered office through the admin section of our website.

Companies House uses the Post Office address file to verify addresses; so, to avoid delays, please ensure that your proposed registered office address is recognised by the Post Office and always give the correct postcode on forms sent for registration. A PO Box can be used provided the full address is given including the postcode and it is validated by Royal Mail.

We offer a registered office service in various locations if required. Please click on the link below for more details. Business Services

Companies House have set up PROtected Online Filing to help combat identity fraud. When a company is incorporated electronically it is allocated an authentication code for electronic filing. We send this code to you when your company is formed together with a PR1 form to complete of you wish to restrict the filing of most documents for you company to electronic filing. You can opt out of the Proof system by filing a PR2form or consent to paper filing by completing a PR3 form.

VAT is a tax on consumer expenditure and applies to most business transactions involving the transfer of goods or services. There are exceptions.

If the value of your taxable supplies are over a specified limit, currently £83,000 per annum you are required to register for VAT. If you reasonably consider that your taxable supplies will exceed the threshold in the next 30 days you must register. If this applies you should register for VAT by completing the VAT 1 form and sending it to Revenue & Customs within 30 days of reaching the thresholds described. You may also complete the form online on HM Revenue & Customs website.

Certain types of services or goods are not taxable and are know as exempt supplies. This includes for example insurance, loans of money, some types of education and some property transactions such as selling and leasing of land with certain exceptions. If the services or goods for your business were all exempt you could not be registered for VAT.

You can apply for voluntary registration if your supplies are under the the registration limit. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to this which should be carefully considered and discussed with your accountant if necessary. On the plus side being registered for VAT can increase the credibility of your business and you are able to reclaim input tax if you make standard or zero rated supplies. Disadvantages include increased paperwork, you will need to keep accurate VAT records and complete regular VAT returns. Also if you are supplying the public or non-VAT registered business then they cannot reclaim the VAT charged.

Voluntary VAT registration is also applied for by completing the VAT 1 form.

Companies House website has a list of Guidance Booklets at http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/guidance.shtml

Your Accountant is probably your best source together with the VAT office information service. You can download the VAT Registration form from the Administration page on our website. HM Revenue & Customs publish a have a number of helpful information pages such as

What is VAT?

What to Charge VAT on?

Detailed info on registration and the form.

Top 10 Tips on your VAT Application?

Their website address is: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/index.htm?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_Home

However you should get professional advice on whether it is best to register for VAT. In general if you are selling to the public your prices will be lower if you do not charge VAT. If you are selling to business the VAT will not affect the cost to the business, and you will be able to reclaim all your Vatable costs. (Most things apart from Rent, Rates and Salaries)

Electronic signatures include all types of electronic signature, printed name, scanned signature and an email address. A digital signature is different in that it has itself a unique numerical value based on the complete document being signed.

The Companies Act states that, on appointment, all officers must consent to act. This can be done by means of an electronic signature. Electronic appointment documents must contain three items of personal information provided by the appointee, which may include:

Where companies are incorporated electronically personal authentication data may be either the provision of three out of seven items of personal information, as currently used for officers' personal authentication on electronic incorporation and appointment forms.

More details of how to set up a Personal Authentication Code can be found on Companies House website at:http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/toolsToHelp/efilingfaq.shtml

More guidance about electronic signatures from the DTI can be found here.