Legal issues to be observed: UK office opening
The following includes a summary of the main legal issues to be observed when doing business in the UK or employing staff and the action required
| Legal issue | Action required |
| Registration required with HM Revenue & Customs for payroll taxes, VAT and corporate tax.
Payroll compliance | We require:
(e.g to provide technical services). We will send you the relevant forms to sign.
Gross salary and paid to HMRC by the 19th day of the month following the payroll month.
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| Employers liability compulsory insurance (ELCI) to meet the costs of compensation and legal fees for employees who are injured or made ill at work through the fault of the employer. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcing this law. | Employer must have ELCI cover of at least £5million. ELCI must cover all your employees in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We can put you in touch with a suitable insurance broker who will arrange cover for you. |
| Health & Safety issues compliance and registration with the HSE. For further information go to: If you are taking a serviced office do ask the supplier whether you are covered under their H&S arrangements. | This 10-point list shows some of the key actions required by law: 1.Register a new business with the Health and Safety Executive or your local Authority, depending on the sort of business you have. 2. Take out Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance and display the certificate. 3.Make sure you have someone competent to help you meet your health and safety duties. This does not have to be an external consultant. 4.Decide how you are going to manage health and safety in terms of Drawing up a H&S policy. 5.Decide what could harm people and what precautions to take. This is your putting sensible controls in place to prevent accidents and ill health and making sure they are followed. 6. Provide basic welfare facilities, such as toilets, washing facilities and drinking water. 7. Provide free health and safety training for your workers. 8. Consult your workers on health and safety. 9. Display the health and safety law poster or give workers a leaflet with the Information. 10. Report some work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences. |
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Data Protection registration with the Information Commissioner | The Data Protection Act gives individuals the right to know what information is held about them. It provides a framework to ensure that personal information is handled properly. The Act works in two ways. Firstly, it states that anyone who processes personal information must comply with eight principles, which make sure that personal information is:
The second area covered by the Act provides individuals with important rights, including the right to find out what personal information is held on computer and most paper records We can assist you to register under the Data Protection Act. |
| Business names (not registrable with the UK government any longer) | The previous law was replaced by the Business Names Act 1985. This allows the Secretary of State to have certain control over the name you choose for your business and what you must tell others about the ownership of the business. You should also check local phone books and any relevant trade journals or magazines, to see if any other business is already using the name. If it is, you could face legal difficulties. If you have any intention to trade goods or services, you would be well advised to ensure your business name does not conflict with a registered trademark. It does not have to be identical with a trade mark to cause possible conflict. Problems can arise if a name is judged to be confusingly similar. |
| Employment issues |
two months of joining date (refer to 16 point statutory checklist.
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| Immigration |
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