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Company Registration & Banking Services
UK company formation & banking support — updated July 2026

From incorporation to
your first business bank account.

Setting up in the UK involves more than filing at Companies House. ZEM Global guides founders — UK-based and international — through registration, secretarial obligations, bank account readiness, KYC/KYB documentation, and the fintech & MSB banking questions that generic formation agents don't handle.

6
Connected Formation & Banking Services
Founder-Led
Support For UK & International Founders
Bank-Ready
Documentation Prepared To Bank Standard
Fintech & MSB
Specialist Banking Experience
UK-Wide
Remote-First, Nationwide Support
FORM
UK CO
UK Company Registration Support
From choosing the right structure to a filed Companies House incorporation, we handle the registration process end-to-end — so your company is set up correctly from day one, not patched up later.
Companies House   GOV.UK — Set Up a Business
Structure Advice
Limited company, sole trader or partnership — the right fit for your plans
Companies House
Incorporation filed correctly, with the right SIC codes and share structure
Fast Turnaround
Most standard incorporations completed within days, not weeks
Registered Office
Guidance on registered office and correspondence address requirements
Who this is for
First-time founders, sole traders converting to a limited company, and international entrepreneurs forming a UK entity for the first time.
What ZEM delivers
Business structure advice, Companies House incorporation, memorandum & articles of association, share allotment and shareholder agreements guidance, SIC code selection, registered office arrangements, and post-incorporation setup — HMRC Corporation Tax and PAYE registration included.
Why it matters
Mistakes made at incorporation — wrong share structure, missing SIC codes, an unsuitable registered office — tend to resurface later, usually at the worst moment, such as during a bank application or a funding round. Getting it right from the start avoids that.

Ready to form your UK company properly?

ZEM Global handles the incorporation and the details around it, so your company starts on solid ground.
Get in touch
CO SEC
DUTIES
Company Secretarial Support
Every UK company carries ongoing statutory obligations after incorporation. We keep your Companies House filings, statutory registers and governance records accurate and on time, so nothing is missed.
Companies House
Confirmation Statement
Annual confirmation statement prepared and filed on time
Statutory Registers
Registers of members, directors and PSCs kept accurate and current
Change Filings
Director, shareholder and registered office changes filed correctly
Deadline Risk
Missed filings risk penalties or the company being struck off
Who this is for
Directors who want statutory compliance handled properly in the background — particularly founders managing a business without in-house company secretarial expertise.
What ZEM delivers
Confirmation statement preparation and filing, statutory register maintenance (members, directors, PSCs), director and shareholder change filings, registered office and SIC code updates, board minute and resolution templates, and general company secretarial advisory.
Why it matters
Companies House filings are easy to overlook until a deadline is missed — at which point penalties apply, and persistent non-compliance can lead to a company being struck off the register. Ongoing secretarial support keeps that risk off your desk.

Confirmation statement or a filing overdue?

ZEM Global brings your Companies House record up to date and keeps it that way going forward.
Get in touch
BANK
READY
Business Bank Account Preparation
UK banks and challenger banks scrutinise new business accounts closely — especially for MSBs, fintechs and non-resident directors. We prepare your application and documentation so it's ready to pass review the first time.
Ask about your banking application
Bank Selection
Matching your business to banks and challenger banks likely to approve it
Documentation
Business plans, source-of-funds and activity descriptions prepared properly
Application Support
Guidance through the application and any follow-up questions from the bank
Higher-Risk Sectors
Extra preparation for MSBs, fintechs and non-resident director structures
Who this is for
Newly incorporated companies, MSBs, fintechs, and founders based outside the UK who need a UK business bank account and want to avoid a declined application.
What ZEM delivers
Bank and provider selection based on your business type, business plan and activity description preparation, source-of-funds documentation, application review before submission, and support responding to follow-up questions from the bank's onboarding team.
Why it matters
A declined bank application can delay trading by weeks and makes the next application harder. Banks want a clear, well-documented picture of the business before they approve an account — that's exactly what proper preparation delivers.

Applying for a UK business account?

ZEM Global prepares your application and documentation to give it the best chance of approval, first time.
Get in touch
KYC
KYB
KYC & KYB Document Preparation
Banks, payment providers and regulators all ask for the same underlying picture — who owns and controls the business, and where its funds come from. We prepare that documentation once, to a standard that satisfies onboarding teams.
Ask about your KYC/KYB pack
Ownership Structure
Clear ownership & control (UBO) charts prepared to bank standard
ID Verification
Director and shareholder identity documentation organised and checked
Source of Funds
Source-of-funds & source-of-wealth narratives, evidenced properly
Reusable Pack
One documentation pack, reused across multiple bank & provider applications
Who this is for
Businesses opening accounts with banks or payment providers, MSBs preparing for FCA or HMRC review, and any company that keeps being asked for "more documentation" during onboarding.
What ZEM delivers
Ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) charts, director & shareholder identity and address verification packs, source-of-funds and source-of-wealth documentation, corporate structure charts for group entities, and a consolidated KYC/KYB pack ready to submit to any bank, provider or regulator.
Why it matters
Incomplete or inconsistent KYC/KYB documentation is the single biggest cause of onboarding delays with UK banks and payment providers. A properly prepared pack, built once, removes that friction from every subsequent application.

Tired of being asked for documents you don't have to hand?

ZEM Global builds a complete KYC/KYB pack you can reuse across banks, providers and regulators.
Get in touch
FINTECH
& MSB
Fintech & MSB Banking Support
Fintechs, payment institutions and MSBs face a narrower pool of willing banking partners and closer scrutiny once onboarded. We help you find the right relationship and keep it — connecting banking support with your wider AML and FCA/HMRC compliance position.
See our Regulatory & Compliance services
Provider Matching
Introductions to banks & EMIs that actively bank MSBs and fintechs
Compliance-Linked
Banking documentation aligned with your AML framework and FCA/HMRC status
Relationship Management
Support responding to periodic reviews & enhanced due diligence requests
De-Risking Support
Guidance if an account is restricted, reviewed or closed unexpectedly
Who this is for
Payment institutions, e-money firms, crypto-related businesses and other MSBs that need a banking relationship able to support regulated financial activity, not just a standard business current account.
What ZEM delivers
Introductions to banks and e-money institutions experienced with MSBs, banking application documentation aligned to your AML/CTF framework, support through enhanced due diligence and periodic reviews, and guidance if an account faces restriction, review or closure.
Why it matters
MSBs and fintechs are routinely declined or de-risked by mainstream banks, often without a clear explanation. Approaching the right providers, with the right documentation and a demonstrable compliance framework behind it, materially improves the odds of a stable banking relationship.

Struggling to find a bank willing to work with your MSB or fintech?

ZEM Global connects the right banking relationship to a compliance framework that keeps it stable.
Get in touch
INT'L
FOUNDER
International Founder UK Business Setup Support
Founders outside the UK face extra questions at every stage — company registration, UK banking, tax registration and ongoing compliance obligations that a local formation agent typically won't guide you through. We handle the full picture, remotely, end-to-end.
About ZEM Global
Remote Incorporation
Full UK company formation without needing to be physically present
Non-Resident Banking
Banking applications built around non-resident director requirements
Tax Registration
Corporation Tax, PAYE and VAT registration handled from day one
Ongoing Compliance
Support staying compliant after setup, not just at the point of formation
Who this is for
Founders and businesses based outside the UK who want to incorporate, bank, and operate a UK company without relocating, and without piecing the process together from generic guides.
What ZEM delivers
UK company incorporation, registered office and correspondence address arrangements, business bank account preparation for non-resident directors, KYC/KYB documentation, HMRC Corporation Tax and PAYE registration, and ongoing accounting and secretarial support once the company is trading.
Why it matters
International founders are more likely to be declined for UK banking and face additional scrutiny at every step. Having one team manage registration, banking and compliance together — rather than juggling separate agents — closes the gaps that usually cause delays.

Setting up a UK company from outside the UK?

ZEM Global manages incorporation, banking and compliance together, remotely, from wherever you're based.
Get in touch

It’s Rarely Just a Registration Problem

Most founders who come to us don’t actually have a registration problem. They have a "nobody told me what comes next" problem — and it usually surfaces at the bank, not at Companies House.

The incorporation itself is quick. What trips founders up is everything around it: a bank account application that gets declined with no real explanation, a confirmation statement deadline that quietly passes, KYC documentation requested for the third time by a third provider, or a non-resident director structure that mainstream banks simply won’t touch. Generic formation agents file the paperwork and disappear before any of that happens.

ZEM Global exists to close that gap — connecting registration, secretarial duties, banking and documentation into one accountable relationship, instead of six disconnected problems.

How We Help

Six Services, One Formation Partner

Each service stands on its own, but the real value is having all six connected — one team that takes you from incorporation through to a working bank account and a compliant company record.

🏢

UK Company Registration

Structure advice and a correctly filed Companies House incorporation — the foundation everything else depends on.

Explore this service
🗂️

Company Secretarial Support

Confirmation statements, statutory registers and change filings — kept current so nothing is missed.

Explore this service
🏦

Business Bank Account Preparation

Applications and documentation prepared to pass bank review the first time — not after a decline.

Explore this service
📑

KYC & KYB Documentation

One properly built ownership, ID and source-of-funds pack, reusable across banks, providers and regulators.

Explore this service
💳

Fintech & MSB Banking Support

Banking relationships for payment institutions, e-money firms and MSBs, linked to your AML/compliance position.

Explore this service
🌍

International Founder UK Setup

Registration, banking and tax handled remotely and together for founders based outside the UK.

Explore this service
Why ZEM Global

Why Founders Choose ZEM for Setup & Banking

Choosing a formation partner is about more than who files the incorporation. You need people who get you to a working bank account and keep you compliant afterward.

01

Registration & Banking, Connected

We don’t just file your incorporation and disappear — banking, KYC and secretarial duties are handled as one connected process.

02

Fintech & MSB Experience

Real experience banking payment institutions, e-money firms and MSBs that mainstream agents typically turn away.

03

International Founder-Friendly

Non-resident directors and overseas founders are a core part of our client base, not an exception we make room for.

04

Documentation Built to Bank Standard

KYC/KYB packs, business plans and source-of-funds narratives prepared to actually satisfy onboarding teams.

05

Compliance-Linked Setup

Registration and banking connected to your AML, tax and FCA/HMRC position from day one — not bolted on later.

06

Ongoing, Not One-Off

Secretarial duties, filings and compliance kept on track well after incorporation, not left for you to remember.

How It Works

Our Process

A straightforward five-step process, whether you need one service or all six.

Step 1
Consultation
We start by understanding your business, where you're based, and what you need — incorporation, banking, or both.
Step 2
Structure & Documentation Review
We confirm the right company structure and identify exactly what KYC/KYB and banking documentation will be needed.
Step 3
Incorporation & Documentation Pack
Companies House incorporation filed, alongside a complete KYC/KYB and ownership documentation pack.
Step 4
Bank & Provider Application
Applications submitted to the banks or providers best matched to your business, with support through any follow-up questions.
Step 5
Ongoing Secretarial & Compliance
Confirmation statements, filings and statutory registers kept current, well after the account is open.
Who We Support

Founders We Support

Every founder brings a different setup and banking challenge. We work across a wide range of business types and structures.

🚀First-Time Founders
🌍International Founders
💳Fintechs & Payment Institutions
🏦Money Service Businesses
🪙Crypto-Adjacent Businesses
🛒E-commerce Businesses
💼Professional Services
📦Trading Companies
🏢SMEs & Start-ups
🧑‍💼Founder-Led Companies
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does UK company registration take?
Most standard incorporations are filed and approved by Companies House within days once we have your structure and documentation confirmed.
Can you help if I'm not based in the UK?
Yes — international founder setup is a core part of what we do. We handle incorporation, banking and tax registration remotely, without you needing to be physically present.
Why was my UK bank account application declined?
Usually incomplete documentation, an unclear activity description, or a business type banks are cautious about (MSBs, fintechs, non-resident directors). We prepare your application to address these before you apply.
Can you get MSBs and fintechs a UK bank account?
We can't guarantee any bank's decision, but we introduce you to banks and e-money institutions experienced with MSBs and fintechs, and prepare documentation aligned with your AML/CTF framework to give you the best chance.
What is a KYC/KYB documentation pack?
A consolidated set of ownership charts, ID verification, and source-of-funds evidence that banks, providers and regulators ask for — built once, and reusable across multiple applications.
What ongoing filings does my company need after registration?
An annual confirmation statement, statutory accounts, and updates whenever directors, shareholders or your registered office change. We manage these as part of our company secretarial support.
What happens if I miss a Companies House filing?
Penalties can apply, and persistent non-compliance can lead to a company being struck off the register. Our secretarial support keeps deadlines tracked so this doesn't happen.
Do you register companies for sole traders switching to a limited company?
Yes. We advise on whether the switch makes sense, handle the incorporation, and register you with HMRC for Corporation Tax and PAYE where relevant.
Can you also handle my accounting once the company is set up?
Yes. Our accounting & bookkeeping team can take over from day one, so registration, banking and ongoing accounts sit with one team.
Do you work with businesses outside London?
Yes. We work with businesses across the UK and internationally on a remote-first basis, so location isn't a barrier to working with us.
Ready to Register & Get Banking Sorted?

Let’s Get Your Company Set Up Properly

Whether you need a UK company incorporated, a bank account application prepared, KYC/KYB documentation built, or a full setup as an international founder — ZEM Global brings all six services together under one accountable team.

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