Corporation tax implications of incorporation

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by Tolley in association with Julie Butler
Owner-Managed Businesses
Guidance

Corporation tax implications of incorporation

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by Tolley in association with Julie Butler
Owner-Managed Businesses
Guidance
imgtext

The Incorporation ― introduction and procedure guidance note summarises various tax implications of incorporating a business including details of forming the new company. This note provides further details of the corporation tax aspects of incorporation.

Charge to corporation tax

The company will pay corporation tax on its profits. For most sole traders there should be a significant reduction in the tax charged on the business profits compared with income tax and NIC. This is discussed further in the Calculating the tax benefits of incorporation guidance note.

There is no income tax on ‘undrawn’ profits in a company. In contrast, sole traders pay income tax on the profits of the business, irrespective of the level of their personal drawings.

Dividends are not deductible expenses in computing the company’s profits, but salary and related NIC payments are. For details, see the Allowable deductions for employee related expenses guidance note.

For information on corporation tax computations, see the Computation of corporation tax guidance note.

Duty to give notice of chargeability to corporation tax

A company must

Continue reading the full document
To gain access to additional expert tax guidance, workflow tools, generative tax AI, and tax research, register for a free trial of Tolley+™
TAKE A FREE TRIAL NOW
Julie Butler
Julie Butler linkedinicon twittericon

Managing Partner at Butler & Co Chartered Accountants & Registered Auditors 

Julie Butler FCA is the founding director of Butler & Co Chartered Accountants, a firm that specialises in agricultural and land matters. Julie has lectured extensively on proactive tax planning for farmers and landowners, with an emphasis on diversification and development.Julie and her team provide tax consultancy services direct to the farming and equine industry and to other accountants, land agents and solicitors on farming diversification, bloodstock and all areas of the equine world.Julie's articles are published in the national accountancy and tax press and she is the author of the successful books Tax Planning for Farm and Land Diversification and Equine Tax Planning as well as being co-author of Stanley: Taxation of Farmers and Landowners with Malcolm Gunn. Julie is also editor of Farm Tax Brief and contributes to Tolley's Tax Planning.Julie is an authorised individual licensed by the ICAEW to carry out the reserved legal activity of non-contentious probate in England and Wales.

Read moreRead more
Powered by Tolley+™
  • 24 Oct 2025 07:30

Home/ Tolley Tax Guidance/ Owner-Managed Businesses / Starting in business and incorporation

Popular Articles

Corporation Tax

Carried-forward losses restriction

Carried-forward losses restrictionOverview of the carried-forward loss restrictionAn important restriction in the use of losses carried forward was introduced by Finance (No 2) Act 2017. Subject to a de minimis of £5m (known as the deductions allowance), most carried-forward losses are restricted to

14 Jul 2020 11:09 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more
Owner-Managed Businesses

First year allowances

First year allowancesFirst year allowances (FYAs) are available on the following items:•first-year relief on qualifying new main rate plant and machinery (at 100%, which is described by HMRC as ‘full expensing’) and special rate assets (at 50%) from 1 April 2023 (companies only). These FYAs were

14 Jul 2020 11:41 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more
tag-icon Autumn Budget 2025
Personal Tax

Gilts

Gilts‘Gilts’ are securities that are also known by a number of different names (eg gilt-edged securities, Government securities or treasury stock).The Government sells gilts to fund the deficit between public spending and tax receipts. Normally, the Government pays interest to the holder of the gilt

14 Jul 2020 11:48 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more