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Tax and Accounting Advice for
Business Coming to the UK

Practical, joined-up advice for international businesses
setting up or expanding in the United Kingdom

The UK remains one of the most accessible markets in the world for international businesses. The legal system is well understood, the tax regime is broadly stable and the country sits in a useful time zone between Asia and the Americas.

The practical work of establishing a UK operation successfully is substantial and the early decisions – on entity structure, tax registrations, transfer pricing and the operating model – can be difficult and expensive to revisit once they are embedded.

Getting them right at the start, with a guide who has done this many times before, is far more efficient than correcting them later.

Our experience team supports international businesses through every stage. From the first scoping conversation about market entry through to the long-term running of the UK operation.

The work covers entity choice, tax registration, payroll, banking, VAT, transfer pricing and the day-to-day accounting and compliance that follows.

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How we help
businesses set up in the UK

Our work typically begin with a short scoping discussion to understand the parent business, the planned UK activity and the commercial timetable.

From that conversation we set out the choices on entity structure, registrations and the practical sequence of getting the UK operation live.

Once the structure is agreed, our team handles the formation, registers the entity for the relevant taxes, sets up payroll and prepares the first tax returns.

From there, we look to build a lasting relationship that continues to support your international success.

Download our Guide to Doing Business in the UK

Our expertise

  • Audits for international businesses operating in the UK
  • UK entity formation and structuring
  • Corporation tax compliance and planning
  • VAT registration and ongoing compliance
  • PAYE and payroll set-up
  • Transfer pricing policy and documentation
  • Permanent establishment analysis
  • Banking and operational set-up support
  • Statutory accounts and Companies House filings
  • Ongoing advisory through the parent relationship

Behind the inbound work sits the rest of the firm. Audit, tax advisory, payroll and personal tax for the executives moving across are all available from the same team.

What you can expect from
our inbound team

Three things run through how we work with international businesses coming to the UK:

Clear, structure support

Setting up in the UK has a logical order. We map it out at the start and run the project against the sequence so the registrations, the banking and the first compliance all fall into place in the right order.

One point of contact for the whole UK position

Tax, accounting, payroll and the wider advisory work are all run from a single, trusted relationship.

Connected back to the home jurisdiction

Through PrimeGlobal we co-ordinate with the parent’s advisers in the home country so the UK position is consistent with the wider group. Transfer pricing, treaty positions and group structuring are looked at together.

International businesses choose us because they want their UK entry guided by one firm that knows both the practical and the technical work – a single trusted point of contact who sets the operation up correctly and stays alongside it as it grows.

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Macalvins have been running the Payroll and Pension Plan for Hayes & Yeading United Football Club for over 10 years.… Read More

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I love the people of macalvins. they are warm and very dependable. and that what matters to me in any… Read More

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I’ve been with MaCalvins since 2013, they are managing my company business accounts and my personal tax returns in a… Read More

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We have used Macalvins for all our accounting needs including audits and payrol since the beginning of time – nothing… Read More

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Why choose Macalvins?

Macalvins is a Top 100 UK accountancy firm and a member of PrimeGlobal, a network of around 300 independent firms across more than 80 countries.

That combination gives clients the depth and continuity of service, together with the international reach, that global groups operating in the UK need.

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Insights

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the right entity structure for a UK operation?

It depends on the planned activity, the tax profile in the home country and how the UK operation will be funded and run. A wholly owned UK subsidiary is the most common structure but a branch or representative office may be appropriate where the activity is more limited. We work through the options at the scoping stage and confirm the right structure before formation.

How long does it take to get up and running?

A straightforward UK company formation can be completed in a few days. Tax registrations, banking and payroll set-up take longer in practice and are usually the critical path. A realistic timeline from a standing start to a fully operational UK entity is typically four to eight weeks.

Do we need to think about transfer pricing from day one?

Yes. If the UK entity is transacting with the parent or other group entities, the pricing of those transactions needs to follow the arm’s length principle from the start. We help set the policy at formation and put the supporting documentation in place at the appropriate point in the group’s size.