Is this basic CLG formation package right for you?

What is basic CLG formation?

Basic CLG formation is the professional work needed to prepare and submit an application to incorporate a company limited by guarantee, without adding address or continuing-support services. CLGEssential brings together clarification, suitable formation documents, application review and agreed electronic submission for an ordinary non-charitable company in England and Wales. You approve the application; Companies House decides whether to register the company.

Illustration: an association has agreed its purpose and initial members and has a suitable England and Wales registered office available. It needs suitable articles and the incorporation application professionally prepared, reviewed and submitted, rather than an address bundle.

If you already run a club or association, explain its existing rules, participants and intended transition. Forming a company does not itself transfer the existing organisation’s activities, contracts, funds or assets. Intended charitable status, special governance or another jurisdiction should be discussed before an ordinary formation order.

CLGEssential: the essentials

The service: ordinary non-charitable England and Wales CLG formation using your own suitable registered office. A CLG has guarantor-members rather than shareholders. It does not automatically become a charity.

Have ready: the proposed name, purposes, directors, initial members, guarantees, addresses, intended decision-making and relevant control information. Identify the organiser and who can approve the formation; mention existing rules, prepared articles and accepted Companies House verification.

Coddan’s work: we clarify information, prepare suitable formation documents, review the application, obtain the necessary approval and submit the agreed application electronically. Your personal manager helps with questions and next steps during working hours.

Price and documents: £119.99 + VAT, with a recorded UK-resident base total of £123.99 including the £100 official incorporation fee. Digital copies of the certificate, memorandum and articles follow successful registration. Addresses, paid verification, printed documents and further drafting are separately selected or agreed.

Completion: preparation, checks and customer approval come before submission. Companies House creates the company on registration. Keep the supplied documents, arrange the company’s initial records and clarify any remaining work with your manager. You can return for separately instructed assistance later.

What your essential CLG formation package includes

The online form accommodates up to five directors and five guarantor-members without an additional appointment charge in the recorded service. Individual or corporate guarantor-members can be considered where applicable. Tell Coddan about arrangements beyond the form’s practical capacity; several appointments do not automatically require a different standard package.

Your base price and separately agreed work

What does using your own registered office mean?

A registered office is the company’s official address for correspondence and service of documents. With CLGEssential, you supply a suitable registered office in England and Wales rather than purchase Coddan’s address service. It is distinct from an individual director’s service address. Explain your proposed address arrangements before ordering if you need help choosing the appropriate services.

Coddan registered-office and individual service-address services, paid identity verification, physical forwarding, printed or authenticated documents, further drafting, priority handling and continuing services are separately selected or agreed.

Membership certificates, minutes, prepared registers, accounting and tax work are not automatically included. Tell us about prepared articles or a particular document requirement before ordering so we can confirm the accepted work and charges. Additional work and charges are agreed before that work proceeds.

CLGEssential does not include a recurring address or continuing-support service. Only services listed in the selected package’s “What’s included” schedule are included. Other services are separately selected or agreed. Separately purchased address/support services run for 12 months; Coddan’s stated fee policy for these services is non-refundable, subject to applicable statutory rights. Clients may change their address at any time. Ask Coddan about any address or filing work you want us to undertake. A written agreement or schedule is available.

Prepare the organisation before the application

Describe what the company will do, who its legal members will be, who will direct it and how decisions should be made. Include guarantees, voting and appointment arrangements and anyone exercising actual control. Coddan helps identify the relevant formation information; the founders retain their organisational decisions.

Suitable articles without unnecessary bespoke drafting

Your articles should reflect how the proposed organisation will operate. Explain its purposes, membership and intended decision-making, and tell Coddan about any prepared documents. Suitable established articles may meet the requirements of a straightforward club, association or membership organisation. Coddan prepares the agreed formation documents; particular further drafting is discussed and priced separately where needed. A higher address package does not automatically include bespoke constitutional work.

You can also supply purposes for inclusion in a suitable Coddan version or bring your adviser’s prepared articles. Supplied-document handling and any further drafting are confirmed before proceeding.

If fuller instructions would help, see the detailed formation-instructions route on the main CLG entrance. Online ordering remains available for suitable straightforward instructions. Identity evidence and confidential information follow the appropriate agreed process.

A simple formation process, with clear responsibilities

1. Your organiser gives instructions. Identify the customer, payer and person authorised to coordinate information and approve the work. The proposed company does not yet exist.
2. Founders provide facts and decisions. Supply accurate company information and obtain the relevant participant decisions and approvals. Individuals complete their own required personal checks.
3. Coddan prepares and reviews. Your manager clarifies outstanding details; our team prepares suitable documents, reviews the application and obtains necessary approval.
4. Coddan submits the ready application. We use Companies House-integrated software for agreed electronic submission. Companies House may ask a question before deciding whether to register.
5. Receive and organise the documents. After registration you receive the included digital copies. Keep the certificate, memorandum and articles accessible, and discuss initial company records, decisions and remaining actions with your manager.

Timing: keep the stages distinct

Gathering the required details and providing objectives for suitable established articles typically takes 1–2 hours; gathering details and supplying prepared documents typically takes 2–3 hours; gathering details and requesting customised articles can take several days. These are preparation estimates, separate from required checks, approvals and Companies House processing.

In Coddan’s experience, approximately 90% of ready ordinary electronic applications receive approval and the certificate within 1–3 working hours after our submission to Companies House. The broader standard-route experience is 24–48 hours from client portal submission to incorporation, allowing for workload and backlogs. Particular preparation and outstanding checks or approvals can affect the overall timetable. Same-day service is a separate selected route.

Need a particular date? Tell Coddan before ordering so readiness and the available service can be discussed.

Electronic formation with a person to help

Companies House verification and customer checks are separate

Formation includes guidance on applicable Companies House identity verification. Accepted existing verification is recognised and the free official route remains available; Coddan’s AML/KYC customer checks remain separate. The separately charged £30-per-person checks service covers KYC where a Personal Code is already held, or KYC and Companies House verification with Coddan’s associated confirmation submission where no code is held. There is no second £30 charge for the combined checks. UK-resident forms add VAT; non-UK-resident forms do not. Companies House issues the Personal Code. Identity evidence and confidential codes follow the agreed secure process.

Tell your manager about accepted Companies House verification already completed. Use the free official verification route or separately select supported ACSP verification where needed. Membership alone does not mean every guarantor must verify.

For Coddan’s supported Companies House service, the individual completes the requested Credas checks. Coddan reviews the evidence, seeks clarification where needed and submits ACSP confirmation when satisfied. Companies House issues the individual’s Personal Code; the applicable director and PSC submissions remain separate tasks.

AML customer checks establish the customer, authority and relevant ownership or control for Coddan’s service relationship. They are separate from Companies House identity verification. Paying or coordinating formation does not authorise someone to complete another person’s checks or receive their confidential information.

Your company after incorporation

Registration is the start of the company’s working life. Keep the incorporation documents, establish the appropriate member and decision records and arrange accounting records and the company’s administration. Directors remain responsible for the company’s decisions and ongoing obligations.

Discuss the company-secretarial and annual services your CLG needs. You can arrange suitable work later; you do not need to purchase every continuing service at formation.

If your address or support requirements change, ask about the appropriate separately selected service. If you need to correct information or Companies House raises a question, contact your manager promptly to establish the application’s status and the next step. Any additional drafting or corrective work is agreed according to the actual requirement.

Compare the alternatives before you choose

Compare all four formation packages if you need Coddan’s EC3 office, an individual service address or 12 months of continuing support. A higher standard package does not automatically include bespoke constitutional work.

ProtectPro and ContinuityPro include the London service address for the first appointed officer for 12 months. Checkout prevents that appointee adding the option again with the address-inclusive package. Where a package excludes the address, any appointed officer can add the £15 option. Additional individuals needing the standard service address are charged £15 per person for 12 months. UK-resident order forms add VAT; non-UK-resident forms do not add VAT.

Choosing another registered office in England and Wales does not move the director service address: it remains at Coddan’s official London office address. Alternative director service addresses cost £45–£90 per year depending on location, arranged with Coddan in advance. These location choices are handled through an enquiry rather than additional online-form options.

You may also incorporate directly through Companies House where eligible: the official online CLG route accepts individual guarantors and applications not seeking exemption from “Limited”, with supporting articles upload. Direct filing means preparing and submitting the application yourself. CLGEssential purchases Coddan’s preparation, review, assistance and agreed submission.

For charitable status or an alternative legal structure, discuss your organisation’s options. An already registered CLG should use the route for its actual outstanding task rather than order another incorporation.

CLGEssential questions

Can one person be both a director and a guarantor-member?

Yes, the same individual can hold both roles. They have different functions: the director manages the company and the guarantor-member has the membership rights and stated guarantee. Supply each capacity accurately.

Can we describe our purposes without drafting legal clauses?

Yes. Explain what the organisation will do and how members and directors should make decisions. Coddan identifies suitable preparation and confirms any particular further drafting before you decide to proceed.

Is CLGEssential the simplest choice if we have our own address?

It can be, if you need ordinary CLG formation using your own suitable registered office and do not need Coddan’s address or continuing-support services. CLGEssential keeps your order to the essential formation work, including the agreed preparation, application review and submission. It is a complete formation choice for that situation.

Do we receive printed documents or membership certificates?

The included incorporation documents are digital copies of the certificate, memorandum and articles. Printed sets, membership certificates, minutes, registers and authenticated documents are separately selected or agreed.

Can an overseas organiser use this package?

Yes, suitable overseas instructions can be considered. The company still needs an appropriate England and Wales registered office and the relevant personal and company information. UK-resident order forms add VAT and non-UK-resident order forms do not add VAT. Selected services and the number of people determine the order charges.

Do we need to buy ongoing support immediately?

No. CLGEssential does not include continuing support, annual filings, accounts or tax work. You can return for suitable separately instructed services as the company’s needs arise.

Ready to form your CLG?

✓ Suitable preparation · ✓ Application review · ✓ Digital certificate, memorandum and articles

Use your own suitable registered office and give Coddan the company details. Your manager helps with information, approvals and next steps. An initial enquiry creates no obligation to order.