You may contact one of the UK Department for International Trade regional offices near you for advice on exports and international markets. The UK government encourages and support international trade.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) provides the following advice to UK businesses wanting to expand into overseas markets:
- Create an export plan
- Find an export market
- Choose a route to market
- Get export finance
- Manage payments for export orders
- Prepare to do business in a foreign country
- Prepare for export procedures and logistics
- Sell services overseas
- Manage risks of bribery and corruption
You would be able to discuss your business expansion plan with an international trade advisor.
Department for Trade offices in England
| Regions | Contact information |
| East Midlands | DIT East Midlands office Click here |
| West Midlands | DIT West Midlands office Click here |
| East of England | DIT East of England office Click here |
| London | DIT London office Click here |
| North East | DIT North East office Click here |
| North West | DIT North West office Click here |
| South East | DIT South East office Click here |
| South West | DIT South West office Click here |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | DIT Yorkshire and the Humber office Click here |
Scottish Enterprise in Scotland
| City | DIT office |
| Glasgow | Scottish Enterprise office Click here |
Business Wales in Wales
| City | DIT office |
| Llandudno Junction | Business Wales office Click here |
Invest NI in Northern Ireland
| City | DIT office |
| Belfast | Invest NI office Click here |
Alternatively, you may use this link to find your nearest a Department for Trade office near you. All you need to do is to enter your postcode.
Register an Overseas company in the UK
An overseas company wants to set up a place of business in the UK must register with Companies House. You must register your overseas company within one month of opening for business in the UK.
If you do not have a base in the UK then you do not need to register.
Our accountants can help you to register your overseas company.
Get your company record up to date
It is important to get your company filings up to date with Companies House. This is because anyone wishing to collaborate with your company can get information about your company from Companies House.
The information available on the public record include the following:
- Signed and approved Company accounts
- confirmation statement
- The company date of incorporation
- Company names including company name change history, if applicable.
- Current and past company registered office addresses
- company registration numbers issued by Companies House.
- Current and past company directors and secretary’s details
- The company’s current trading status – active or dissolved.
- insolvency information, if applicable. For example, if the company is in administration, their company status will show as “in administration”.
Certificate of good standing for a British company
The certificate of good standing certifies that your company has been in continuous, unbroken existence since its incorporation and that no action is currently being taken to strike it off the Companies House register.
When a certificate of good standing is needed?
Banks, lenders, a business corporation based overseas that collaborate with a UK company may require you to provide them with a certificate of good standing to prove the existence of your company at the time of entering into a business transaction with you.
Department for International Trade offices worldwide
If you are currently based outside the UK, click here for the list of the UK Department for International Trade offices worldwide contacts.
