It worked for some founders. It will continue to work for others.

But there is a question underneath the headline that is worth asking before you decide who registers your company: do you want your incorporation handled by a bank – an institution whose interest in your company begins and ends with winning your current account – or by a independent company formation agent who has been guiding new businesses through registration, compliance, and early growth for years?

The answer matters more than the £100.

Why Banks Entered the Formation Market

Tide and ANNA Money are not independent company formation specialists. They are digital banking platforms – venture-capital-backed businesses built to acquire and retain business banking customers at scale.

Company formation is a customer acquisition strategy. When a founder registers a company through Tide or ANNA, they typically open a business bank account at the same time. That banking relationship – not the formation fee – is where the business model begins.

This explains why the formation price can be so aggressive. Tide charges £14.99 all-in. ANNA starts from £19. These prices are not sustainable on their own. They are subsidised by the anticipated value of the banking customer being acquired. Formation is the front door. Banking is the product.

There is nothing dishonest about this model – it is how both platforms describe themselves. But it is worth understanding before you choose them to register your company.

The Problem With Letting Your Bank Choose Your Bank

When you form a company through Tide, you get a Tide account. When you form through ANNA, you get an ANNA account. This sounds obvious. But the implications are larger than they first appear.

Your business bank account is one of the most consequential early choices you make. Different banks suit different businesses at different stages. A founder who needs invoicing tools and expense cards in month one may need multi-currency capabilities in month twelve. A business that starts with a single director may add shareholders. A company that begins as a simple LTD may evolve into something requiring a different structure.

When you form your company through an independent specialist formaton agent, you choose your bank separately – based on what actually suits your business. When you form through a bank, that decision is made for you before your business has had a chance to tell you what it needs.

Mint works with more than ten banking partners – Tide, ANNA Money, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, Monzo, Cashplus, Zempler, Countingup, and others. We fast-track applications with all of them. We have no banking product of our own and no financial incentive to push any one of them. We give every founder the full picture and let them choose.

Neither Tide nor ANNA can offer this. The choice was made when you clicked their ad.When you form a company through Tide, you get a Tide account. When you form through ANNA, you get an ANNA account. This sounds obvious. But the implications are larger than they first appear.

Your business bank account is one of the most consequential early choices you make. Different banks suit different businesses at different stages. A founder who needs invoicing tools and expense cards in month one may need multi-currency capabilities in month twelve. A business that starts with a single director may add shareholders. A company that begins as a simple LTD may evolve into something requiring a different structure.

When you form your company through an independent specialist formaton agent, you choose your bank separately – based on what actually suits your business. When you form through a bank, that decision is made for you before your business has had a chance to tell you what it needs.

Mint works with more than ten banking partners – Tide, ANNA Money, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, Monzo, Cashplus, Zempler, Countingup, and others. We fast-track applications with all of them. We have no banking product of our own and no financial incentive to push any one of them. We give every founder the full picture and let them choose.

Neither Tide nor ANNA can offer this. The choice was made when you clicked their ad.

Banks Understand Banking. Formation Specialists Understand Businesses.

There is a deeper issue beyond bank choice. Tide and ANNA are good at what they are built for: payment processing, business accounts, expense management, cashback features. These are genuine products with genuine value for the right customers. But they are not built around what new businesses actually need during and after incorporation.

They do not have specialists who will review your application before it reaches Companies House and catch the errors that cause rejections. They do not have people who pick up the phone to HMRC when a VAT query sits unresolved. They do not have accountants who will sit with a new founder and explain directors allowances, use of home as office, and allowable expenses before the first tax year closes. They do not have teams who have spent years learning how new businesses fail, what compliance mistakes cost money, and how to guide a founder through the incorporation journey rather than just process their paperwork.

Formation specialists do. Because formation – and the business journey that follows it – is the entire business, not a feature.

Mint has formed over 40,000 companies. Each one of those was a new business at the beginning of something. The questions they asked during registration – about share structures, SIC codes, director responsibilities, registered office requirements, identity verification – are the same questions the next 40,000 will ask. That accumulated knowledge does not exist in a banking app. It exists in the people who have been answering those questions, on the phone, for years.

VC-Backed and Built to Grow: What Happens When the Strategy Changes?

Tide has raised over $600 million in external funding. ANNA has received significant venture backing. Both are growth-stage businesses optimising for user acquisition and banking revenue. This is not a criticism. But it is a context that founders should understand.

Venture-backed platforms operate on a different timeline than specialist businesses. Their priorities are shaped by investors, growth targets, and the next funding round. When a strategy is not working – or when a better strategy appears – it changes. Services that are free or subsidised today may not be tomorrow. Features that attract customers at scale may be deprioritised once the acquisition phase ends.

Formation specialists operate on a different model. Mint has been forming companies since 2017. The business is built on repeat custom, referrals, and long-term client relationships – not on acquiring banking customers at volume. The incentive is to serve the founder well across the entire company lifecycle, because that is where the business model works.

When a VC-backed banking platform pivots, the founder who registered through them is a banking customer. When a formation specialist serves a client well, they are a lifetime client.

Structural Limitations That Matter

Beyond the strategic question, there are practical limitations to bank-based formation that apply to a significant proportion of UK founders right now:

Tide only supports companies with a single director and a single shareholder. If you have a co-founder, Tide cannot form your company – at any price. Both Tide and ANNA support UK residents only. If you are an overseas founder looking to register a UK limited company – a common and entirely straightforward situation that Mint handles regularly – neither platform can help you.

Both support LTD companies only. No LLPs. No companies limited by guarantee. No charities. No bespoke articles of association.

Neither offers the range of ongoing Companies House services that growing businesses need: director changes, share transfers, confirmation statements, registered office changes. The formation may be fast and cheap. The support infrastructure that follows is not there.

What Honest Pricing Actually Looks Like

Mint’s formation fee starts at £4.99. The £100 Companies House fee is charged on top, separately and clearly. You pay both. There is no subsidy, no banking product attached, no monthly subscription unlocking the headline price. What you see is what you pay.

Included with every Mint formation at no extra condition:

• A named Application Assistant who guides you through the entire process – from application to certificate to any question that arises afterward. This was previously charged at £19. It is now free for every customer.
• WhatsApp support throughout your formation journey. No other UK formation agent or banking entrant currently offers this.
• A real person who will call Companies House and HMRC on your behalf when queries arise. Not a chatbot. Not a ticket system. A qualified specialist who knows how to navigate both organisations.
• A free accountant consultation covering directors allowances, use of home as office, allowable expenses, and any early-stage tax question – delivered by a qualified human accountant.
• Enrolment into Signal Biz Hub – a business support network with training, tips, and community networking for new founders.
• Your choice of bank.

The Question to Ask Before You Register

When a bank offers to form your company cheaply, the question is not whether the offer is genuine. In most cases, it is genuine. The question is what you are getting in exchange for the price – and whether that trade makes sense for your business. Are you comfortable having your bank chosen for you at the moment of incorporation, before your business has started?

Are you forming as a solo UK resident, with no co-founders and no plans to expand the shareholding – or does any part of your setup fall outside the narrow parameters that bank-based formation supports? Do you want the company registered and then left to navigate the rest alone, or do you want a specialist in your corner for the first month, the first tax year, and the first time something goes wrong?

Formation is a ten-minute process. Business is not.

Mint Formations pricing is honest, its service is built around the full journey, and its interest in your business does not depend on which bank account you open. Mint Formations is genuinely independent to guide you through the process and provide options. If that sounds like the right fit, [compare our formation packages →].

Mint Formations is an authorised Companies House formation agent (ACSP). All information about Tide and ANNA Money is based on publicly available information from their websites and is accurate at the time of writing.

The post Tide and ANNA Are Banks, Not Formation Agents – Why That Distinction Matters appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

It is an attractive headline. £100 is a real cost. If someone offers to absorb it, that is worth knowing about.

But the offer is not always what it first appears. Two providers – Tide and 1st Formations – are currently running versions of this campaign. Both absorb the £100 Companies House fee in certain circumstances. Both have conditions that are worth reading before you decide.

This post explains both offers plainly, so you can make an informed choice.

What the £100 Companies House Fee Actually Is

When you register a limited company in the UK, Companies House charges a statutory filing fee. As of 1 February 2026, that fee is £100 for digital incorporation. It is a government fee, not an agent fee – every company registered in the UK pays it, regardless of who processes the application.

Some formation agents include this fee in their headline price. Others charge it separately. Either way, it is the same £100 going to the same place.

When a provider says they will “absorb” or “pay” this fee, they are not eliminating a cost – they are subsidising it from somewhere else in their business model. The question worth asking is: where is that subsidy coming from, and what does it mean for you?

Tide: £14.99 All-In – Subsidised by Their Banking Business

Tide is a digital banking platform. They offer company formation at £14.99 all-in – a price that absorbs most of the £100 Companies House fee on the customer’s behalf.

This is a genuine offer. The formation is processed, the company is registered, and the price is £14.99.

Why Tide can offer this price

Tide subsidises formation because it is a customer acquisition tool for their banking business. When you form a company through Tide, you open a Tide business bank account as part of the process. The formation fee is not where Tide makes money. The banking relationship is.

This is not a hidden agenda – it is openly how Tide’s business model works. For founders who want a Tide account anyway, the alignment is fine. For founders who want to choose their bank independently, or who may outgrow Tide’s banking features over time, it is worth understanding what you are signing up for.

The structural limitations

Beyond the banking lock-in, Tide’s formation service has structural restrictions that many founders only discover after starting the process:

• Single director and single shareholder only. If you have a co-founder – or any other person holding shares – Tide cannot form your company. This is not a tier limitation. It applies to all Tide formation packages without exception.
• UK residents only. Founders based outside the UK cannot register a company through Tide.
• LTD companies only. Tide does not support LLPs, companies limited by guarantee, charities, or bespoke articles of association.

For a solo UK founder who wants a Tide account, the £14.99 offer delivers what it promises. For anyone else, the £14.99 is not available regardless.

1st Formations: £1 Formation – If You Subscribe to Their Accounting Service

1st Formations is an established company formation agent. Their standard packages range from £102.99 to £139.99, with the £100 Companies House fee included in those prices – no unusual conditions attached.

They also offer a fourth option: “All Inclusive with Accounting” – £1.00.

At £1.00, 1st Formations will form your company and cover the £100 Companies House fee themselves. It is, on the surface, the most dramatic offer in the market.

What the £1 offer actually involves

The £1 formation price is conditional on subscribing to 1st Formations’ accounting service, which starts at £49 + VAT per month – £58.80 per month including VAT.

The accounting service itself includes year-end accounts, Corporation Tax returns, Xero accounting software, VAT registration and returns, PAYE registration, and self assessment for one director. It is a real service with real value, offered on a rolling monthly basis with no long-term contract.

But the maths are worth doing clearly:

The £1 offer is not a cheaper way to form a company. It is a bundled formation and accounting subscription. Whether it represents good value depends entirely on whether you need the accounting service – and whether £49+VAT/month is competitive for what you need.

If you were planning to pay for accounting anyway, the offer is worth evaluating seriously. If you were not, the £1 headline price understates the real cost significantly.

What Mint Does Differently

Mint Formations does not run “Don’t pay the £100 fee” campaigns. Our pricing is straightforward: formation starts from £4.99, and the £100 Companies House fee is listed separately and clearly. You pay both. There is no subsidy, no conditional offer, and no product attached.

We think this is the right approach – not because we cannot compete on price, but because we believe founders deserve to know exactly what they are paying and exactly what they are getting.

A few things that are included with Mint formation at no extra condition:

Free Application Assistant. Every Mint customer gets a named person guiding them through the formation process – from the initial application through to the certificate and any questions that arise. This was previously a paid £19 add-on. It is now included free for everyone.

WhatsApp support. Founders can reach us on WhatsApp throughout their formation journey. No other formation agent or banking entrant currently offers this.

Real people dealing with Companies House and HMRC. Our team calls Companies House and HMRC on behalf of clients – handling queries, resolving issues, and navigating compliance by phone. This is not software. It is qualified people who know how these organisations work.

Free accountant consultation. Every Mint customer receives a free consultation covering use of home as office, directors allowances, allowable business expenses, and any early-stage tax question.

Free Signal Biz Hub enrolment. Every Mint client is enrolled into Signal Biz Hub – a business support network with training, tips, and community networking for new founders.

Your choice of bank. Mint works with over ten banking partners – including Tide, ANNA Money, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, Monzo, Cashplus, Zempler, and Countingup. We fast-track bank account applications with all of them. We have no banking product of our own and no financial incentive to push any particular bank. The choice is entirely yours.

The Right Question to Ask

When you see a “Don’t pay the £100 fee” headline, the question is not whether the offer is genuine – in most cases, it is. The question is what sits behind it:

• Are you being acquired as a banking customer?
• Are you signing up for a monthly service to unlock the discount?
• Does the offer apply to your situation at all?

Company formation is a one-time event. The choices you make during it – your bank, your accountant, your agent – often last longer than the registration itself. Evaluating those choices based on the headline price alone is worth resisting.

Mint’s formation fee starts at £4.99. The £100 Companies House fee is on top, as it is everywhere. What you get for that £4.99 is a named specialist, a human review of your application before it reaches Companies House, WhatsApp support, a free accountant consultation, and a team that will still be answering your questions in year three.

If that sounds like what you need, [compare our formation packages →].

Mint Formations is an authorised Companies House formation agent (ACSP). Pricing information for Tide and 1st Formations is based on publicly available information from their websites and is accurate at the time of writing. If anything has changed, please let us know.

The post Don’t Pay the £100 Companies House Fee – But Read What Comes With It appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

We have been meaning to write this piece for a while. Not to show off — though we are, honestly, incredibly proud of Andy — but because his story says something important about who Mint Formations is and why we exist. The photo says it all: two people standing on the lawns of Buckingham Palace, genuinely delighted to be there, surrounded by the kind of occasion that reminds you what public service is actually for.

Andy, the independent who keeps winning

Most politicians need a party behind them. A machine. A brand. Decades of voter loyalty baked into a rosette colour. Andy has never had any of that — and he keeps winning anyway.

Standing as an independent in Whitehill, Bordon, and Lindford, Andy has taken on the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and even the new Reform bandwagon — all at the same time — and defeated them all, election after election, by significant margins. No party funding. No national campaign. Just genuine trust built one conversation, one doorstep, one community issue at a time.

Walk down the street with Andy and you will see exactly why. He does not just know his constituents — he knows their names, their families, their frustrations. They stop him, not the other way around. That kind of connection cannot be manufactured. It is earned, slowly, by actually showing up.

From the palace gardens to your local high street

Andy currently serves as Cabinet Member at Hampshire County Council — representing around 1.4 million people at the highest level of local authority — as well as Deputy Leader of East Hampshire District Council and Leader of Whitehill Town Council. He is overseeing multi-million pound infrastructure projects and is at the very centre of Local Government Reorganisation: a once-in-a-generation reform that will reshape how every community in the UK is governed for decades to come.

At the local level, his focus has always been intensely practical. Championing local policing. Fighting to retain community amenities. Funding youth projects. Supporting post-16 education. These are not abstract policy positions — they are the things that determine whether a community thrives or quietly falls apart.

For local business owners, Andy is a rare resource. He understands the realities of running a small business from the inside — the late nights, the cashflow pressures, the grants that exist but nobody tells you about, the networks that can open doors if only you know where to knock. He has spent years connecting businesses to funding, support, and opportunities that would otherwise have slipped through the cracks entirely.

Why Mint exists

Mint Formations was not started to process company registrations. It was started because we had seen too many new businesses left to figure everything out alone — registered, invoiced, and forgotten by the platform that signed them up.

From day one, our purpose has been the same: help businesses get started properly, give them the tools and knowledge to grow, and stay with them long after the paperwork is done. Every service we offer — from company formation and confirmation statements to director changes, company restoration, and GDPR compliance — exists because founders need reliable, knowledgeable people in their corner. Not just a checkout page.

We measure our success by yours. That is not a marketing line — it is genuinely how we think about this business. When a founder we registered two years ago calls us to say they have just taken on their first member of staff, that matters to us. When a client needs to restore a dissolved company and we get them back on the register, that matters. We are in it for the long run — because that is the only way to build something worth building.

We are not a platform. We are people.

There are plenty of ways to register a company in the UK. Formation agencies like 1st Formations, Your Company Formations, and Companies Made Simple will process your application quickly. Banks like Tide and Anna will open you a business account. These are useful tools — but when you need more than a tool, they have very little to offer.

Mint is different because the people behind it are different. Our MD was invited to Buckingham Palace not because he built a slick product, but because he has spent years genuinely improving the lives of people around him. That is the culture Mint operates from — and it is what you get when you work with us.

When you register your company with Mint, you are not feeding a faceless machine. You are working with real people who are rooting for you — people who will pick up the phone, who know your name, and who measure their own success by how well your business does.

The post Our Managing Director was invited to Buckingham Palace — by The King appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

Forming a UK limited company is completed via Companies House, but most founders use an agent to save time and avoid costly mistakes — especially once you factor in registered office addresses, ID verification, HMRC registrations, and ongoing filings.

One important change for 2026: Companies House increased the digital incorporation fee to £100 from 1 February 2026.

The market has also shifted significantly. Digital banks — including Tide and ANNA Money — now offer company formation as part of opening a business account, often at heavily subsidised prices. Understanding what these services include, and what they structurally cannot offer, is now one of the most important things to know before choosing where to register.

Mint Formations is an authorised Companies House formation agent (ACSP) with 40,000+ companies formed over 15 years. Rankings and competitor information are based on publicly available data at time of writing and reflect our perspective as formation specialists. Last updated 2026.

The post Top UK Company Formation Agents for 2026 appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

Tide is one of the UK’s most recognised digital banking platforms, with over 1.5 million business account holders. In recent years, Tide has added company formation to its offering — at a price point that undercuts every traditional formation agent in the market.

If you are considering Tide for your company registration, this review covers the complete picture: what their formation service includes, what it genuinely does well, a critical limitation that eliminates Tide for a large proportion of founders, and who the service is actually built for.

Read the limitation section before you go any further. It will save you time.

What Is Tide?

Tide is a digital business finance platform, authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an electronic money institution. It is not a traditional bank — funds are held by ClearBank, which provides FSCS protection up to £120,000 for eligible deposits.

Company formation is a feature Tide added to support its core banking business. When a founder registers a company through Tide, the intended outcome is that they open a Tide business account and become a long-term banking customer. It explains why the formation price is set where it is — and it is relevant context when deciding who you want to register your company.

Tide is registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), meaning they are authorised to submit formation applications directly.

Tide’s Company Formation: What It Includes

Tide offers a single formation package, currently priced at £14.99 — the lowest all-in formation price available in the UK market. This includes the £100 Companies House fee, which Tide absorbs as part of its customer acquisition model.

Included with formation:

• Limited company registration submitted to Companies House
• Certificate of incorporation, company number, and share documents by email
• Free Tide business current account (basic plan, no monthly fee)
• Access to Tide’s app: invoicing, expense tracking, and Making Tax Digital tools
• Registration within one working day in most cases

Optional paid add-ons:

• Virtual office address: from £22.99/month (Central London, mail scanning via third party)
• Confirmation statement filing
• Company secretary service
• Payroll software
• Tide Accounting (from £13.99 + VAT/month on lower tiers)

The Limitation You Need to Know Before Anything Else

Tide only supports companies with a single director and a single shareholder.

If you are starting a business with a co-founder — even one other person — Tide cannot form your company. You must look elsewhere.

This is not buried in Tide’s small print, but it is not prominently communicated either. Many founders only discover it mid-way through the registration journey, after they have already invested time in the process.

To be clear about what this means in practice:

• Two co-founders splitting a business equally? Tide cannot form your company.
• A family business with a spouse as co-director? Tide cannot form your company.
• An investment structure with a silent shareholder? Tide cannot form your company.
• Any company where more than one person holds shares? Tide cannot form your company.

A significant proportion of UK limited companies are formed by more than one person. For all of them, Tide’s formation service is simply not available — regardless of which plan they choose or how attractive the £14.99 price is.

If you have a co-founder or any other shareholder, stop here and look at a specialist formation agent. Tide is not an option for your situation.

Where Else Does Tide Reach Its Limits

UK residents only

Tide’s company formation service is restricted to UK residents. If you are based outside the UK — whether you are an international entrepreneur, an expatriate, or a foreign national — Tide cannot register your company.

Non-UK residents can open a Tide business account, but they cannot use Tide to form the company in the first place.

LTD companies only

Tide supports private limited companies limited by shares, and only this structure. The following cannot be formed through Tide:

• Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) — the standard structure for solicitors, accountants, architects, and professional partnerships
• Companies Limited by Guarantee (LBG) — used by non-profits, charities, community organisations, and clubs
• Flat management companies — used by leaseholders managing residential buildings
• Any company requiring bespoke articles of association — investor-backed businesses, companies with multiple share classes

No human review before submission

Tide’s formation process is automated. Applications go to Companies House without a qualified person reviewing them first. Errors in SIC codes, director details, or articles of association are identified only after submission, which can create delays or rejected applications.

No phone support for formation

Tide provides customer support through in-app chat. There is no phone number for formation queries and no named formation specialist available before, during, or after your registration.

Formation ends with the certificate

Once your company is registered, Tide’s role in your company administration is essentially limited to confirmation statement filing (as an add-on). The Companies House and HMRC services that every business needs as it grows — director appointments, share transfers, company name changes, VAT registration, PAYE registration, and company dissolution — are not part of what Tide offers.

No accountancy service

Tide does not offer an accountancy service. If you need year-end accounts prepared and filed by a qualified accountant, you will need to find one separately. Tide’s accounting tools — available on paid plans — are software for bookkeeping and tax tracking, not a replacement for a professional accountant.

What Tide Does Well

For the right founder, Tide’s formation offer is genuinely strong.

Price: £14.99 all-in, including the £100 Companies House fee, is the most competitive formation price in the UK market. For a solo founder, the savings over direct Companies House registration are real.

Speed: Formation within one working day is standard, and Tide’s process is reliable for straightforward applications.

Banking integration: The connection between formation and banking is seamless. Once your company is registered, your Tide account is immediately active. If Tide is the right bank for your business, this is a convenient single journey.

MTD-ready tools: Tide’s app includes Making Tax Digital tools, invoicing, and expense management. For a sole director running a simple business, these cover day-to-day admin without needing additional software.

FSCS protection: Eligible funds in Tide accounts (via ClearBank) are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 — meaningful reassurance for founders managing business cash.

What You Get (and Don’t Get) With Tide

The Banking Question: What Forming Through Tide Actually Means

Tide’s formation journey is designed to culminate in you becoming a Tide banking customer. The two steps — formation and account opening — happen together, and separating them is not straightforward.

This is fine if Tide is the right bank for your business. It is worth considering whether it might not be.

Different businesses suit different banks. A founder who trades internationally may need multi-currency capabilities that Tide does not fully offer. A business that handles cash regularly may prefer a bank with more flexible cash deposit options. A growing company may eventually need credit products, merchant services, or banking features beyond Tide’s core offering.

None of this is a problem you need to solve on day one. But choosing a bank at the moment of formation — when you know least about what your business will need — is a decision worth making consciously rather than by default.

Formation agents who are not banking businesses can introduce an honest review of Tide’s company formation service for 2026. Packages, pricing, the single-shareholder limitation, and who it actually suits — written by UK formation specialists with 15 years of experience.

We connect you to multiple banks and help you choose the right one. Mint works with Tide and nine other banking partners, and our introduction is based on what suits your business — not which account we want you to open.

What the Reviews Actually Tell You

Tide has substantial review volume on Trustpilot. These reviews are genuine — but they are overwhelmingly written by banking customers commenting on the app experience, the debit card, the speed of account opening, and Tide’s customer service as a banking platform.

They are not formation reviews. They do not reflect whether applications were checked before submission, whether a formation specialist was available when something went wrong, or whether Tide provided support six months after the certificate arrived.

When comparing review scores between banking platforms and specialist formation agents, it is worth understanding what the reviewers are actually measuring.

Who Tide Company Formation Is Right For

Tide is a good option if every one of the following applies:

• You are a UK resident
• You are forming a standard private limited company
• You are the sole director and sole shareholder — no co-founders, no other shareholders
• You want to open a Tide business account and are happy with Tide as your bank
• You are comfortable with app-based chat support rather than phone access
• Your company structure is straightforward — no complex share arrangements or bespoke articles
• You do not anticipate needing ongoing Companies House or HMRC services
• Low upfront cost is a priority

If all of these are true, Tide delivers exactly what it promises at a price no traditional formation agent can match.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

Tide is not the right choice if any of the following apply:

• You have a co-founder, multiple directors, or multiple shareholders — Tide cannot form your company
• You are not a UK resident — Tide cannot form your company
• You need an LLP, LBG, charity, or any structure other than a basic LTD — Tide does not support these
• You want a human to check your application before it goes to Companies House
• You want to choose your own bank rather than defaulting to one during the formation process
• You anticipate needing Companies House or HMRC support as your business grows
• You want a qualified accountant rather than accounting software
• You want phone access to a formation specialist

The Verdict

Tide’s formation offer is genuinely competitive for a narrow but real segment of founders: UK-resident solo entrepreneurs forming a basic limited company who want their banking sorted at the same time and are happy with Tide as their provider.

For that founder, the £14.99 price is hard to argue with, and the experience is fast and functional.

For anyone outside that profile — founders with co-founders, international founders, those needing anything other than a basic LTD, or those who want ongoing support, a real accountant, or the freedom to choose their bank — Tide’s formation service has structural limitations that matter more than the headline price.

Company formation establishes the legal foundation of your business. It is worth choosing who does it based on what your business actually needs — not just what costs the least on day one.

The post Tide Company Formation Review: An Honest Assessment for 2026 appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

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ANNA Money has become one of the more visible names in UK company formation over the past few years. Their low headline price, aggressive content marketing, and banking integration have made them a genuine contender in a market that was previously dominated by traditional formation agents.

If you are researching ANNA for your company registration, this review covers everything you need to make an informed decision: what their packages include, what they genuinely do well, where they reach their limits, and who they are – and are not – the right fit for.

What Is ANNA Money?

ANNA (Absolutely No Nonsense Admin) is primarily a digital banking platform, authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Company formation is a service they added to their offering – not as a core business, but as a customer acquisition channel. When you form a company through ANNA, the goal is for you to open an ANNA business account and remain a long-term banking customer.

It explains why the pricing is structured the way it is – and it is relevant context when deciding who you want to register your company.

ANNA is registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), which means they are authorised to submit formation applications directly – the same status held by Mint Formations and other professional agents.

ANNA’s Company Formation Packages

ANNA currently offers four formation packages:

At £19 for basic formation, ANNA offers the lowest advertised price in the UK market. This is made possible by subsidising the £100 Companies House fee – a commercial decision that makes sense when each formation converts to a banking customer.

The Total Support package at £399 per year is positioned as an all-in-one solution for growing businesses. What it actually includes is important to understand clearly, and we cover this in detail below.

What ANNA Does Well

Price

For a sole founder forming a simple limited company, £19 is genuinely competitive. No other mainstream formation agent comes close at this entry point.

Speed

ANNA registers companies within one working day in most cases. The process is streamlined and, for straightforward applications, reliable.

Banking integration

If you want your company formed and a business bank account opened in a single journey, ANNA delivers this seamlessly. Formation and banking are connected – you do not need to apply separately for an account once your company is registered.

App-based tools

ANNA’s mobile platform includes invoicing, receipt capture, expense tracking, and confirmation statement reminders. For founders who want basic admin tools in one app, it covers the essentials.

Same-day formation option

ANNA offers same-day incorporation if documents are submitted before 3 pm – useful when speed is a priority.

Where ANNA Reaches Its Limits

1. LTD companies only

ANNA registers private limited companies limited by shares. That is the only structure it supports.

If you need any of the following, ANNA cannot form your company:

• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) – the standard structure for solicitors, accountants, architects, and professional services partnerships
• Company Limited by Guarantee (LBG) – used by non-profits, community organisations, clubs, and associations
• Limited by Guarantee with charity articles – for organisations applying for charitable status
• Flat management companies – used by leaseholders managing residential buildings
• Bespoke articles of association – for companies with investor requirements, complex share classes, or non-standard governance

This is not a minor limitation. A significant proportion of UK companies – particularly those in professional services, the voluntary sector, or any situation involving investor equity – require structures that ANNA does not support.

Before proceeding with ANNA, confirm your intended company type is supported.

2. UK residents only

ANNA’s company formation service is available to UK residents only. Non-UK residents cannot form a company through ANNA.

Note: Non-UK residents can open an ANNA business account, but they cannot use ANNA to register their company in the first place. If you are based outside the UK, ANNA is not an option for formation regardless of which package you choose.

3. A maximum of four directors or shareholders

ANNA supports up to four directors or shareholders during the formation process. For most simple setups, this is sufficient, but if your company has a more complex ownership structure, you may need to look elsewhere or contact ANNA directly.

4. No human pre-submission review

When you submit through ANNA, the application goes to Companies House without a qualified person checking it first. Errors in SIC codes, director details, share structures, or articles of association are only identified after submission – potentially causing delays, corrections, or rejected applications.

This is worth understanding if your situation involves anything beyond a standard one-director, straightforward LTD.

5. Support via in-app chat only

ANNA’s formation support is delivered through in-app chat. There is no phone number for formation queries, and no named formation specialist is assigned to your company. For founders who are comfortable with digital-only support and have straightforward setups, this is fine. For those who want to speak to someone – particularly if complications arise – it is a genuine constraint.

6. A virtual office is provided by a third party

ANNA’s virtual office address is provided through a partner, Hoxton Mix, based in Shoreditch, London. This is not ANNA’s own address service. Mail handling and scanning are managed by Hoxton Mix on ANNA’s behalf. This is worth knowing if address continuity or control matters to your business.

The Total Support Package: What £399 Per Year Actually Includes

This is the most important thing to understand before choosing ANNA’s top-tier package.

ANNA’s Total Support plan is priced at £399 per year plus VAT and includes what they describe as “year-end taxes, Corporation Tax and Payroll.” The marketing presents it as a comprehensive accounting solution.

What it actually delivers is Auto Accountant – ANNA’s AI-powered accounting software platform.

Auto Accountant connects to your bank account, categorises transactions automatically, calculates VAT and Corporation Tax, and files returns. ANNA’s own description of it: *”AI-based, HMRC-compliant.”*

There is no human accountant included in this package. There is no qualified professional reviewing your year-end accounts. There is no one with professional accountability for the accuracy of your filings. There is no one to call HMRC on your behalf if a return is queried.

For very simple businesses with straightforward income and expenses – a single-director consultancy with clean bank transactions and no complexity – automated accounting software may be adequate.

For businesses with employees, VAT complexity, property income, director’s loans, international transactions, pension contributions, or any situation that does not fit a standard template, the difference between AI software and a qualified human accountant is significant – and can be costly if something goes wrong.

If full accountancy support is a deciding factor, ensure you understand exactly what you are getting before committing to Total Support.

ANNA’s Reviews: What They Reflect

ANNA displays a strong rating on Trustpilot. These reviews are genuine – but reviewing them reveals an important pattern.

The overwhelming majority are written by banking customers commenting on ANNA’s app, their debit card, the speed of account opening, customer service for banking queries, and the general experience of the platform as a business bank. These are legitimate opinions about a legitimate banking product.

They are not reviews of company formation quality, pre-submission accuracy, whether errors were caught before filing, or what happened when a founder needed help six months after their certificate arrived.

When evaluating any formation agent’s review score, it is worth understanding what the reviewers are actually reviewing. A 4.9 from banking customers is not the same as a 4.9 from founders specifically describing their formation experience and ongoing support.

Who ANNA Company Formation Is Right For

ANNA is a genuinely good option if:

• You are a UK resident forming a simple private limited company
• You are the sole director and sole shareholder – no co-founders, no complex equity
• You want company formation and a business bank account in a single journey
• A Tide business account – or in this case, an ANNA account – suits your banking needs
• You are comfortable with app-based chat support and do not anticipate needing phone access
• You do not need ongoing Companies House services such as director changes, share transfers, or company name changes
• You are satisfied with AI-automated accounting rather than a qualified human accountant

For this profile of a founder, ANNA delivers on its promise. The price is real, the process is fast, and the banking integration is genuinely convenient.

What to Consider If ANNA Does Not Fit Your Situation

If any of the following apply, ANNA’s formation service has structural limitations that are worth factoring in before you start:

• You have a co-founder – ANNA supports up to four, but if your structure involves complex equity splits, seek specialist advice firstYou are not a UK resident – ANNA cannot form your company
• You need an LLP, LBG, charity, or any structure other than a standard LTD – ANNA does not support these
• You want a human to check your application before it reaches Companies House
• You need ongoing Companies House services – director appointments, share transfers, company name changes, dissolution
• You want a real accountant rather than automated software for your year-end accounts
• You want the freedom to choose your bank rather than having the formation journey default you into one

In these cases, a specialist formation agent with a broader service range is likely a better fit for your long-term needs.

The Verdict

ANNA Money has built a compelling proposition for a specific type of founder: a UK-resident solo entrepreneur forming a basic limited company who wants banking integrated from day one and is comfortable with a fully digital, app-based experience.

For that founder, ANNA is competitive – the price is hard to beat, the speed is reliable, and the platform is well-designed.

For founders outside that profile – those with co-founders, international founders, those needing LLPs or more complex structures, those who want a real accountant rather than AI software, or those who anticipate needing Companies House and HMRC support as their business grows – ANNA’s formation service has real limitations that are worth understanding before committing.

Company formation is not a decision to make purely on headline price. The structure of your company, the quality of the initial filing, and the availability of support in the months and years that follow all matter more than the upfront cost. Choose accordingly.

The post ANNA Money Company Formation Review: An Honest Assessment for 2026 appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

It’s a fair question. And the honest answer is: you don’t have to use an agent. Companies House will take your £100, process your application, and send you a certificate. That’s exactly what they’re there to do.

But that’s also where they stop.

We’ve been helping founders navigate this decision for over ten years, as an authorised Companies House agent with more than 30,000 companies formed. Here’s what most people get wrong.

What Companies House gives you — and what it doesn’t

Companies House is the UK’s official company registry. When you register directly, you complete an online form, pay £100, and your company is typically incorporated within 24 hours. That part is genuinely straightforward.

What Companies House doesn’t give you is anyone to ask. There’s no one to check whether your application is set up correctly before it goes in. No one to advise on share structure, director responsibilities, or what your PSC details should look like. No one to call when HMRC writes to you six months later with a letter you don’t understand. No privacy protection for your home address. And no ongoing support once the certificate has been issued.

The registration itself is the easy part. Everything around it is where people run into trouble.

Who the direct registration is really built for

Direct registration through Companies House is designed for accountants, solicitors, and company secretaries who file on behalf of clients and do this day in, day out. Even then, a significant number of them use Mint — because the compliance support, address services, and ongoing relationship we offer saves them time and reduces their liability too.

For a first-time business owner doing this once, going it alone means navigating a process built for professionals — without any of the experience or safety net that comes with it. The form isn’t the problem. The decisions behind the form are.

The questions nobody warns you about before you start

Before you even reach the registration form, some decisions will shape your company for years. Most first-time founders don’t know these questions exist until they’re already midway through — or until a problem surfaces much later.

During registration, the questions founders typically face

“How should I divide the shares between myself and my business partner — and does the split matter?”

“Do I need a company secretary, and what does that role actually mean?”

“Who counts as a Person with Significant Control (PSC), and how do I record them correctly?”

“Which SIC code applies to my type of business — and what happens if I pick the wrong one?”

“Can I use a PO box or postbox number as my registered office address?”

“What are Articles of Association — do I use the standard ones or do I need bespoke ones?”

These aren’t complicated questions in the hands of someone who has done this before. But for a first-time founder, they’re easy to get wrong — and the consequences often don’t surface until much later. We regularly hear from business owners who only discover an issue when they’re trying to sell their company, bring in investors, or when their solicitor flags something during due diligence. By that point, fixing it is far harder and more expensive than getting it right at the start.

The address question — more important than most people realise

When you register a company, a registered office address must be provided by law — and that address goes on the public record at Companies House, visible to anyone who searches for your company.

If you use your home address, it stays there permanently. Many founders only realise this after registration, when unsolicited mail starts arriving, or a business contact looks up their company and finds where they live. Removing it later requires a registered office service anyway — you just end up paying after the fact rather than before it.

Our Privacy Package, from just £19, includes a professional London registered office address and director’s service address for a full year — keeping your home address completely off the public register from day one. For £19, it’s the simplest decision you can make at registration.

What changes when you register with Mint

When you register with Mint, a real person checks your application before it goes to Companies House. Share structure, PSC details, SIC code, registered address, articles of association — we make sure everything is correct and appropriate for your situation. We ask the questions you might not know to ask.

And once your certificate arrives, we don’t disappear. The questions that come after registration are just as important as the ones before it.

After registration, the questions founders typically call us about

“HMRC has sent me a letter I don’t understand — what does it mean?”

“When do I need to file my confirmation statement, and what happens if I miss the deadline?”

“Do I need to register for VAT yet? What’s the threshold?”

“How do I register for Corporation Tax, and when is my first payment due?”

“I want to add a new shareholder — how do I do that properly?”

“My details on Companies House don’t look right — how do I fix them?”

These are the calls we take every day. Real people, on the phone, who know your company and can give you a straight answer. Not a government helpline. Not a FAQ page. Us.

We’ve been an authorised Companies House agent for over ten years. That experience means we’ve seen what happens when these questions go unanswered — and we’re set up specifically to make sure they don’t have to.

Getting it right the first time matters more than most people think

Company registration feels like a one-time task. In reality, the decisions you make when you register stay with your business for its entire life.

We’ve spoken to founders who set up their share structure informally at the start, only to find it caused serious complications when they tried to bring in investors three years later. Founders whose home address appeared on Companies House and couldn’t be removed without cost and effort. Founders whose SIC code was slightly off, leading to unexpected HMRC correspondence, didn’t know how to handle it.

None of these is catastrophic on its own. But they’re all significantly harder to fix after the fact than before it. And they’re exactly the kinds of things we catch before your application goes in.

The cost of getting it wrong rarely shows up immediately. It shows up when you’re selling the business, when your accountant reviews your structure for the first time, or when your solicitor flags something during due diligence. That’s the worst possible moment to discover a problem that could have been avoided on day one.

A quick comparison

The real cost of getting it wrong

On paper, registering directly saves money. In practice, the calculation looks different.

The £100 Companies House fee is identical whether you register yourself or through an agent — it’s a statutory charge that every company pays. What you’re actually deciding is whether to have expert, experienced guidance alongside that filing, or not.

A wrong SIC code means re-filing. A missed confirmation statement deadline means a £150 fine and risk of company strike-off. A home address on the public register is there permanently unless you act. A share structure that wasn’t thought through can derail a funding round years later.

Mint’s Privacy Package starts from £19. Our full formation packages start from £4.99 plus the £100 CH fee. Neither is a premium for something you don’t need. Both are access to people who’ve done this 30,000 times and will still pick up the phone when you need them.

Should I register my UK company directly with Companies House or use a formation agent?

For accountants and solicitors who do this regularly, direct registration is fine. For first-time business owners, using an authorised formation agent like Mint Formations is strongly recommended. An agent checks your application before submission, advises on share structure, PSC registration, SIC codes, and address privacy, and provides support after registration. The £100 Companies House fee is the same either way. The difference is whether you have experienced guidance alongside it.

Will my home address be made public if I register directly with Companies House?

Yes. If you use your home address as your registered office or director’s service address, it will appear on the public Companies House register, visible to anyone who searches your company. Mint Formations’ Privacy Package, from £19, provides a professional London address for both, keeping your home address off the public record from day one.

What is a Person with Significant Control (PSC) and do I need to register one?

A Person with Significant Control is anyone who owns more than 25% of shares, controls more than 25% of voting rights, or has the right to appoint or remove the majority of the board. Every UK company must register its PSC(s) at Companies House. Recording this incorrectly — or failing to register at all — can result in fines and legal complications. Mint Formations guides all customers through PSC registration as part of the formation process.

What SIC code should I use when registering my company?

A Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code describes the nature of your business. Choosing the wrong code can delay registration or trigger unexpected HMRC correspondence. Companies House provides a searchable list, but selecting the right one for your specific activity requires judgement. Mint Formations checks and advises on SIC code selection for every registration.

Do I need a company secretary when I register a UK limited company?

Private limited companies are no longer legally required to appoint a company secretary, but many choose to do so. A company secretary handles statutory filings, compliance deadlines, and Companies House correspondence. Mint Formations offers a full company secretary service and can advise whether appointing one is appropriate for your situation.

Can I use a PO box as my registered office address?

No. Companies House does not accept PO box numbers as registered office addresses. You must provide a full physical UK address where official correspondence can be delivered. Mint Formations’ registered office address service provides a compliant professional London address that satisfies this requirement while keeping your personal address private.

What happens after my company is registered?

After registration, your company has ongoing statutory obligations: an annual confirmation statement, annual accounts, Corporation Tax registration within three months of trading, and VAT registration if turnover exceeds the current threshold. Missing these deadlines carries fines and risks of a company strike-off. Mint Formations provides lifetime support to all customers — helping with compliance questions throughout the life of your business, not just at the point of registration.

How long does it take to register a UK company?

Companies House typically processes online registrations within 24 hours. As an authorised Companies House ACSP agent, Mint Formations submits all applications electronically, ensuring fast processing alongside a full pre-submission check.

Is it cheaper to register directly with Companies House?

The £100 Companies House filing fee applies regardless of how you register. Formation agents charge an additional service fee — Mint Formations starts from £4.99. However, the real cost comparison includes the value of a pre-submission check, compliance guidance, address privacy, and lifetime support. Errors made at registration are significantly more expensive to correct later — and some, like the wrong share structure, can create complications that take years to surface.

The bottom line

If you’re an accountant or solicitor who registers companies regularly, direct registration is built for you.

If you’re a business owner forming your first UK company, the most valuable thing you can do is get it right from the start. Not because the process is complicated, but because the decisions you make at registration stay with your business for as long as it exists.

Mint Formations has been an authorised Companies House agent for over ten years. In that time, we’ve helped more than 30,000 founders register their company correctly from day one — from first-time UK business owners to international entrepreneurs. We know what goes wrong when founders go it alone, because we’re often the ones called in to fix it.

Accountants and solicitors refer their clients to us not because we’re the cheapest option, but because we’re the ones still picking up the phone two years later. Lifetime support isn’t a feature we offer. It’s how we’re built.

The post Registering your new UK company directly with Companies House? Read this first. appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

Today, founders have more choices than ever before. Alongside specialist formation agents, several digital banks now include company formation as part of opening a business account, sometimes at a low cost or bundled into a wider offer.

So how do you decide which route is right for you?

The answer usually comes down to what level of support, flexibility, and long-term guidance you want at the very start of your business journey.

Company Formation Is What We Do, Every Day

At Mint Formations, company formation is not an add-on or a feature. It is our core service.

For nearly a decade, we have helped over 30,000 founders register their companies and navigate the early stages of running a business. As accountants working closely with Companies House and HMRC, we deal with the realities of compliance, structure, and administration every day.

That focus shapes how we work with founders: taking time to explain things clearly, spotting issues early, and helping people make informed decisions rather than rushing them through a process.

Support From Real People, When You Need It

For many first-time founders, questions come up quickly. What address should I use? How do shares work? What happens next once the company is live?

With Mint Formations, support is built into the experience:

• Access to real people via phone and chat
• Guidance from start to completion and beyond
• Clear answers from experienced professionals who deal with formations daily
  

Some digital services are designed to be primarily self-serve, which works well for certain users. Others prefer knowing they can speak to someone who understands both the process and the wider implications for their business. Mint is built for the latter.

Flexible Formations for Real-World Businesses

Not every business fits into a simple template.

Mint Formations supports a wide range of company types and scenarios, including:

• Limited companies and LLPs
• Multiple directors and shareholders
• Overseas directors
• Different share structures
• More complex or specialist setups

This flexibility matters for founders who already know their business will evolve, or who want to get the structure right from day one rather than revisiting it later.

Companies House ID Verification, Properly Supported

Companies House identity verification is now a required part of the formation process, and for many founders, it can be unfamiliar and confusing.

We guide founders through this step and manage the process alongside the formation itself, helping avoid unnecessary delays or rejected applications. It is one less thing to worry about at a time when there is already a lot to think about.

Freedom to Choose the Right Business Bank

Opening a business bank account is an important decision, and different banks suit different businesses.

Mint Formations works with a range of established banking partners, including Barclays, Lloyds, Tide, Cashplus, Zemplar, and others. We can introduce founders to options that fit their needs, fast-track applications where possible, and explain the differences in plain language.

The choice always stays with the founder. Our role is to support that decision, not steer it in a particular direction.

Support That Continues After Formation

Registering a company is only the beginning. As businesses grow, founders often need help with:

• VAT and PAYE registration
• Accounting and compliance
• Company changes, such as new directors or share issues
• Ongoing administration and statutory requirements

Mint Formations supports founders beyond the initial setup, providing continuity and a single point of contact as their business develops.

One Relationship, End-to-End Support

Beyond company formation, Mint offers a broad range of services designed to support businesses throughout their lifecycle, including:

• Accounting and company secretarial services
• Compliance and regulatory support
• Director address protection
• Company documentation and changes
• Banking introductions and ongoing guidance
• Additional services to support growth and operations

Many founders value having one trusted partner who understands their business from the start, rather than having to piece things together across multiple providers.

Choosing What’s Right for You

For some founders, a quick, self-serve formation bundled with a bank account is exactly what they need. For others, having experienced support, flexibility, and a long-term partner from day one provides reassurance and saves time later on. Mint Formations is built for founders who want to:

• Get their company structure right the first time
• Have access to real support and guidance
• Keep their options open as the business grows
• Work with specialists who focus on formation and compliance

Ready to Get Started?

If you are thinking about setting up a UK company and would like to talk through your options, we are happy to help. Give us a call on 020 7112 8684 or get in touch for a no-pressure conversation. Even if Mint is not the right fit for you, we will help you understand your next steps.

Starting a business is a big moment. Having the right support at the start can make all the difference.

The post Why should founders choose a specialist over a bank for company formation? appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

All limited companies in the UK have to pay corporation tax. This also includes any clubs and societies with membership fees, trade associations and any groups of people with their own businesses. Those that are self-employed as sole traders do not have to pay corporation tax and, instead, must pay income tax on their profits via self-assessment. In a limited company, it is the company director’s responsibility to ensure that the right amount of corporation tax is paid by the company and that tax returns are submitted to HMRC on time. Company tax returns must be completed once a year using the form CT600.

Corporate tax returns must be submitted at some point between when your statutory filing date is due and when your company’s financial year ends. You may, in some instances, be required to pay corporation tax before your return date is due. If you have a company with a turnover of £1.5 million or more, corporation tax must be paid within nine months and one day following the end of your annual accounting term. Some corporate tax can be paid in instalments depending on the profit made and the circumstances.

Registering with HMRC

Once you have set up your Limited Company, you must inform HMRC and register your business within three months of trading. There are various statuses that HMRC use to determine whether or not a business is officially trading, including “active”, “non-trading”, “trading” and “dormant”. You must check the status of your business and ensure that the correct term is used to describe your business activity. During the registration process with HMRC, you will be required to provide several details including the start-up date of the business (when it was founded), company name, company registration number, the address/location of any business premises, the type of business you are undertaking, the date your annual accounts are made up to and a home address for the company director/s.

Filing Your Corporation Tax Return

HMRC doesn’t calculate tax bills for companies in the same way that it does with self-employed individuals. A limited company has to calculate its own tax. The calculations must be sent to Companies House and HMRC. Your CT600 form must include several details including your company registration number and name, details of the registered office, tax reference number information and details of all profits made — as well as details of any allowances and tax reliefs the business is entitled to.

Even if your company doesn’t owe any corporation tax, you will still need to submit a tax return to HMRC. If your company has dissolved and is no longer trading, it should have the “dormant” status applied by HMRC. HMRC will then inform you that you no longer have to pay corporation tax.

Late Payments and Penalties

You must be organised in the day to day running of your company’s finances. Missing important dates regarding corporation tax and your tax return can have serious consequences. HMRC enforces financial penalties on companies that do not pay their corporation tax on time. Even if you file your return a day late, you will have to pay a fine of £100. If you are six months late with your payments, HMRC adds a 10% penalty onto the amount already owed. If you are 12 months late, this goes up another 10%. You will also be charged interest on the amount owed if your tax bill is paid late. HMRC has the power to recover funds using enforcement, including collecting money owed through directors pensions and savings, taking funds from bank accounts, making your company bankrupt, taking you to court or closing down your company.

If your company is having difficulties paying its corporation tax bill, HMRC suggests getting in touch as soon as possible so that you can set up a payment plan. If your tax return is inaccurate and HMRC feels that errors have been made — either deliberately or mistakenly — you could be fined. If the mistake was as a result of carelessness, a charge of up to 3% on top of the original tax bill could be incurred. If the mistake was deliberate and you tried to conceal it, you may be charged up to the full amount of your tax bill again in fines. Being honest at all times and ensuring that your corporation tax is calculated accurately is very important.

Legally Reducing Your Corporation Tax Bill

There are various ways that you can legally reduce your bill for corporation tax – something that many companies take advantage of. Companies can deduct expenses in the same way as a self-employed individual. These costs get taken off of your tax bill. The expenses have to be for legitimate costs incurred by the business, such as stationery, company travel, etc. If you own the company, paying yourself a wage can also count as a business expense, so paying yourself a wage is a good way to reduce your corporation tax bill. Some limited company owners pay themselves through dividends, as these are charged at a lower rate of tax than income tax. However, dividends are not eligible for a claim as a business expense. Another great way to reduce your bill is to make an early tax payment to HMRC.

We can provide professional advice on all-things corporation tax, whenever you need it. Try our all-inclusive core accountancy service today.

The post What Is Corporation Tax in the UK, and Who Pays It? appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.

Choosing between DIY identity verification through GOV.UK One Login or using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) for Companies House verification? This comprehensive comparison helps you make the right decision.

Quick Decision Guide

Choose GOV.UK One Login (DIY) if you:

• Are UK resident with UK address
• Have a biometric (chip) passport
• Have established UK credit history
• Are confident with technology
• Don’t mind potential Post Office visits
• Have time to troubleshoot if issues arise
• Want to save £20-30

Choose ACSP (Mint Formations) if you:

• Live outside the UK
• Don’t have a biometric passport
• Have limited UK credit history
• Value convenience and speed
• Want expert guidance on documents
• Need to verify multiple directors
• Prefer professional handling (£19+VAT only)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Detailed Breakdown

Cost Analysis: Is £22.80 Worth It?

GOV.UK One Login: £0

• Direct cost: £22.80
• Time investment: 15-30 minutes (document upload only)
• Professional handling saves 2-5 hours
• Higher first-time success rate

Value calculation: If you value your time at minimum wage (£11.44/hour), saving 3 hours = £34.32. The ACSP service pays for itself.

Processing Time Reality Check

GOV.UK One Login Scenarios:

• Best case (10%): Have biometric passport + app works perfectly = Minutes
• Common case (40%): Security questions + document uploads = 1-3 days
• Challenging case (30%): Document rejections + resubmissions = 1-2 weeks
• Worst case (20%): Multiple failures + Post Office visit = 2-4 weeks

ACSP (Mint Formations) Scenario:

• Standard (90%)48 hours from document submission to personal code
• Complex cases (10%): 3-5 days if additional documents needed

Why GOV.UK One Login Can Be Challenging

System assigns you a verification route based on:

• Your passport type (biometric vs non-biometric)
• Your UK credit history
• Your address history
• System availability

Common issues users face

• Traditional accounting: Based on credit file – difficult if limited UK history, moved frequently, or have thin credit file
• Document upload quality: System is strict – rejects photos with shadows, reflections, blurriness, or wrong formatting
• Post Office requirement: Some users must visit Post Office with original documents during business hours – inconvenient and sometimes impossible
• Non-biometric passports: Very limited options – often dead-end route
• Address mismatches: Even minor format differences (St vs Street) cause rejections
• System errors: Technical glitches require starting over

ACSP Advantages in Detail

1. Pre-submission Document Review

Mint Formations reviews your documents BEFORE submitting to Companies House. We catch issues like:

• Poor photo quality
• Wrong document types
• Address mismatches
• Expired documents
• Missing information

This prevents rejections and wasted time.

2. International Director Expertise

• Non-UK addresses
• Non-biometric passports
• Foreign language documents
• No UK credit history

Mint Formations handles these regularly. We’ve verified directors from:

• Europe (Spain, France, Germany, Poland, etc.)
• Asia (India, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, etc.)
• North America (USA, Canada)
• Australia & New Zealand
• Africa & South America

3. Bulk Verification Efficiency

• GOV.UK: Each person navigates system independently – inconsistent experiences
• ACSP: Centralized process – one point of contact coordinates everything

4. Ongoing Compliance Support

• File your confirmation statements with personal codes
• Handle director appointments/resignations
• Manage PSC notifications
• Provide ongoing Companies House support

Real User Scenarios

Scenario 1: UK Director, Simple Case

Profile: Sarah, UK resident, has a UK biometric passport, a stable address for 5+ years, good credit history

• Likely to work smoothly
• 30 minutes total time
• £0
• Recommendation: Try GOV.UK first
• Will definitely work
• 15 minutes (upload only)
• £22.80
• Alternative: If GOV.UK fails, worth the cost

Scenario 2: International Director

Profile: Raj, lives in Dubai, has an Indian passport (non-biometric), UK company director

• Very likely to fail
• Hours of frustration
• £0 but massive time waste
• Recommendation: £0 but massive time waste
• Standard process for us
• 20 minutes
• £22.80

Scenario 3: Recent Immigrant to the UK

Profile: Maria, moved to the UK 6 months ago, has a foreign passport, limited UK credit history

• Significant challenges expected
• 1-2 weeks with multiple attempts
• £0 but high frustration
• Recommendation: May work eventually, but painful
• We handle this regularly
• 48 hours
• £22.80
• Recommendation: Strongly advised – saves weeks of hassle

Scenario 4: Managing Multiple Companies

Profile: James, director of 5 companies, each with 3 directors = 15 people need verification

• 15 different experiences
• Coordination nightmare
• £0 but massive time investment
• Recommendation: Very inefficient
• Single coordination point
• Streamlined bulk process
• £22.80 × 15 = £342 (potential bulk discount)
• Recommendation: Professional handling is essential

Common Questions

Can I try GOV.UK first, then use an ACSP if it fails?

Yes, absolutely. Many people attempt DIY first. If you encounter problems, Mint Formations can complete the process for you. However, note that:

• You might waste time on failed attempts
• Deadline pressure increases if you delay
• Starting with ACSP is often more efficient

Why is Mint Formations so much cheaper than other ACSPs?

Most ACSPs charge £40-£250. Mint Formations charges £19+VAT because:

• We’re established company formation specialists with existing infrastructure
• High volume allows competitive pricing
• We believe in making compliance accessible
• It’s a service to our community, not a profit center

Quality is identical – we follow the same Companies House standards as expensive providers.

Is ACSP verification as secure as GOV.UK?

Yes. Both routes must meet the same security standards:

• ACSPs are regulated by UK AML supervisory bodies
• Must follow strict identity verification standards
• Subject to Companies House oversight
• UK GDPR compliant

Mint Formations uses encrypted portals and follows all security protocols.

What happens after I get my personal code?

Same process regardless of verification method:

• You receive a unique personal code
• Store it securely
• Provide it in your next confirmation statement (from 18 Nov 2025)
• Use it for any future director appointments or company formations

If Mint Formations verified you, we can also handle your future filings.

Our Recommendation

Choose GOV.UK One Login if:

You’re a straightforward UK case: UK resident, biometric passport, established credit history, tech-confident, and have time to troubleshoot if needed.

Success likelihood: 60-70%

Choose Mint Formations ACSP if:

You’re an international director, have limited UK history, value your time, need certainty, or want professional handling. At £22.80, it’s excellent value.

Success likelihood: 95%+

Our honest advice:

For most business owners, £22.80 is a tiny investment for peace of mind, time savings, and professional handling. The DIY route is free but often frustrating and time-consuming. If you’re unsure, start with ACSP – it’s faster and more reliable.

Get Started with Mint Formations

• Price: £19 + VAT (£22.80 total) – UK’s cheapest ACSP
• Processing: 48 hours typical
• Success rate: 95%+ first time
• International: Supported from any country
• Support: Expert guidance throughout
• Established: Trusted company formation specialist

Book your verification: Start Now

Learn more: Complete Guide

Questions? Contact the Mint Formations team

The post ACSP vs GOV.UK One Login: Complete Comparison Guide appeared first on Mint Formations Blog.