Legal Structure of Businesses

If you work for yourself, you are classed as a self-employed sole trader. Sole traders run their start- up as an individual, which means you can keep all business profits once tax has been paid on them.

You are also personally responsible for any losses that your business may make.

Further Information on becoming a sole trader can be found on the GOV.UK website.

If you choose to start your business as a partnership, you share all responsibility for your business with your business partner or partners. You can also share all business profits between the partners, with each partner paying tax for their share of the profits. A partner doesn’t have to be a person; a limited company can also be a partner in a business partnership.

In an ordinary business partnership, you are responsible for your share of any losses your business makes, as well as paying for anything you buy for your business, for example, new stock or essential equipment. Each partner is required to send a personal self-assessment tax return every year, pay national insurance and pay income tax on their share of profit.

Find out more about setting up a business partnership on the GOV.UK website.

A limited company is an organisation that you can set up to run your business. This means that it is responsible for everything it does and all finances are separated from your personal finances. Profits that a limited company makes are owned by the company, once corporation tax has been paid. The company can then share out its profits.

Further information on setting up a limited company can be found on the GOV.UK website.

If you decide to start a business that is designed to help people or communities, you will still need to choose a legal business structure. This structure could be a charity, a limited company, a co- operative organisation or one of the other structures legally available.

Find out more about starting a social enterprise on the GOV.UK website.