First 30 Days as a New UK Company Director
A focused 30-day playbook for new UK limited company directors — what to set up, what to register, what to file, and what to put a date in the diary for.
In your first month: confirm the company is correctly registered, open a business bank account, register for Corporation Tax within 3 months of starting to trade, set up PAYE if you'll take a salary, decide on accounting software, agree a year-end and key diary dates, and read the Companies Act director duties before you start signing things. Most director mistakes are made in the first 30 days because no one says "you should know this yet".
Director's duties at a glance
The Companies Act 2006 sets seven duties for directors. The headline points: act within your powers, promote the success of the company, exercise independent judgment, exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence, avoid conflicts of interest, don't accept benefits from third parties, and declare any personal interests in transactions. The duties apply from your first day in office — they don't wait for the first board meeting.
Read sections 171–177 of the Companies Act 2006 once. They're short, in plain English, and explain almost every "is this allowed?" question that comes up later.
Days 1–7: confirm the basics
Week one
0/6 · 0%Days 8–14: register for the right taxes
Week two
0/5 · 0%Days 15–21: financial infrastructure
Week three
0/5 · 0%Days 22–30: governance and pay
Week four
0/6 · 0%Ongoing diary dates that matter
- Confirmation Statement — at least annually to Companies House.
- Statutory accounts — within 9 months of year end to Companies House.
- Corporation Tax — payable 9 months and 1 day after year end; CT600 due 12 months after.
- VAT returns (if registered) — usually quarterly, with payment by the deadline.
- PAYE / RTI — on or before each payday; monthly liabilities to HMRC.
- Self Assessment — for the director personally, by 31 January each year.
Late filing penalties at Companies House and HMRC are automatic and grow with time. Diary the dates now — including reminders 6 weeks in advance — and you'll never see them.
Frequently asked questions
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Information on this page is general guidance for UK small businesses and is not financial, tax or legal advice. Tax rules, allowances and product terms change. Always check current information with HMRC, Companies House or a qualified professional before making decisions.