Step-by-step business journeys

Form a business partnership

Set up and run a business partnership - general partnership, limited partnership, or LLP

Insuring your new business

A step-by-step learning journey for new business owners: understand which insurance is legally required, what additional cover you need, how to compare and buy policies, and how to manage renewals.

Plan your business from idea to launch

A step-by-step planning journey from idea validation through business plan writing to launch preparation

Starting a regulated business in Northern Ireland

A guided learning path for businesses in Northern Ireland that operate in regulated sectors. Covers the three key NI-specific regulators — HSENI, RQIA, and UREGNI — and the cross-cutting obligations that apply alongside them.

Buy an existing business

Navigate the business acquisition process from finding opportunities to completing the purchase and your first 90 days as owner

Hire your first employee

Step-by-step journey to become a compliant employer. Covers PAYE registration, insurance, right to work checks, contracts, and pensions - everything before your first employee's first day.

Set up a charity

Establish a registered charity in England and Wales - from charitable purposes to ongoing compliance

Health and safety for new employers

A comprehensive learning path to help first-time employers understand and meet their health and safety duties. Takes you from understanding the law to putting compliance systems in place, with practical timelines for your first week, month, and beyond.

Hiring your first employee after April 2026

Updated hiring journey incorporating Employment Rights Act 2025 day-one rights and contract requirements. Covers employment contracts, SSP, family leave, and compliance essentials for new employers.

Set up a community interest company (CIC)

Form a CIC for social enterprise purposes with asset lock protection, dividend caps, and ongoing compliance requirements

Fire safety for new business premises

Complete introduction to fire safety law and compliance for new business premises. Learn who is responsible, how to conduct a fire risk assessment, and what measures you must implement.

Getting approved to trade: complete pre-trading journey

A comprehensive learning journey for first-time business owners: understand what approvals you need, complete mandatory registrations, check for activity-specific licences, navigate local authority requirements, and plan your timeline to trading day.

Starting a business in Northern Ireland

Complete guide to NI-specific requirements when starting a business. Covers devolved differences in employment law, business rates, planning, health and safety, and available support programmes.

Understanding VAT from scratch

A complete introduction to VAT for first-time registrants. Takes you from zero knowledge to confident VAT compliance, covering when to register, how to charge VAT, reclaiming VAT on purchases, and submitting your returns.

Set up a limited company

Register a limited company and understand your director duties

Choose the right business model

Decide between product, service, and subscription models based on your skills, capital, and goals

Environmental compliance for new businesses

A complete introduction to environmental obligations for new business owners. Learn whether you need an environmental permit, how to handle waste legally, how to prevent pollution, and what recycling rules apply to you. No prior knowledge required.

Pre-trading approvals quick check

Quick check for experienced business owners verifying they have all required registrations, licences, and approvals before starting to trade.

Registering a care service in Scotland

End-to-end learning path for starting a regulated care service in Scotland. Covers the Care Inspectorate, service types, registration, Health and Social Care Standards, SSSC workforce registration, PVG checks, and inspection preparation.

Validate your business idea before you invest

Research, test, and validate your business idea before committing significant time or money

Set up a building and landscape services business

Learning path for new cleaning, pest-control, landscaping and grounds-maintenance businesses. Work out which rules apply, put a safe operation and your employment duties in place, meet your pest-control, pesticide, green-waste and invasive-species duties, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a repair services business

Learning path for new repair businesses — computers, phones, tablets, household appliances and personal goods. Work out which rules apply, put a safe business in place, meet your f-gas and WEEE duties if they apply, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a tobacco manufacturing business

Learning path for new tobacco manufacturers — cigarette, cigar, hand-rolling and pipe tobacco makers and leaf processors. Work out which rules apply, put a safe factory and your employment duties in place, meet the tobacco-specific product standards, standardised packaging, excise duty and track-and-trace obligations, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up an employment agency

Learning path for new employment agencies and employment businesses — temporary staffing, permanent placement and HR provision. Work out which rules apply, put a safe operation and your employer duties in place, meet the sector-specific conduct rules, agency worker equal treatment duties and gangmasters licensing (if applicable), and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Understanding UK GDPR from scratch

A complete introduction to UK data protection law for businesses. Learn the seven principles, six lawful bases, individual rights, ICO registration requirements, and what happens if you get it wrong. No prior knowledge required.

Become a sole trader

Set up as a sole trader and understand your tax obligations

Health and safety management for new employers

A learning path introducing new employers to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR). Understand your legal duties for risk assessment, appointing competent help, and establishing emergency procedures - the foundations of workplace health and safety management.

Name your business: check, register, and protect

Quick guide to checking name availability, understanding naming rules, and protecting your brand

Set up as a domestic employer

Learning path for households employing domestic staff — nannies, carers, cleaners, gardeners, drivers and au pairs. Work out which rules apply to you as a domestic employer, set up PAYE, contracts, pensions, working time and health and safety, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Understanding business rates

How business rates work, what relief you can claim, and how to challenge your rateable value. Covers calculation, relief schemes, appeals, and revaluation across all UK nations.

Your business plan was rejected: what to do next

What to do when a lender, investor, or grant body rejects your business plan

Start a business

Step-by-step guidance to help you start your business

Planning compliance quick check

Quick check: Do you need planning permission for your development? Answer a few questions to find out whether you need to apply, or whether permitted development rights apply.

SME housebuilder planning guide

Comprehensive planning guidance for small and medium housebuilders. Learn how to navigate the planning system efficiently, take advantage of small site easements, and manage S106 and environmental requirements proportionately.

Getting started with CIS

A comprehensive learning path for anyone new to the Construction Industry Scheme. Understand how CIS works, decide whether you're a contractor or subcontractor (or both), and learn your registration requirements and ongoing obligations. Covers deductions, monthly returns, and claiming back overpaid tax.

Start a construction business

Set up and register a construction, building, or trades business

Starting a waste business

Complete compliance guide for waste transfer stations, treatment facilities, skip hire, and recycling centres. Covers environmental permits, waste carrier registration, and ongoing obligations.

Start a lettings agency

Compliance requirements for starting a property letting business in the UK

Small site planning fast track

Quick checklist for SME developers submitting minor residential applications (1-9 dwellings). Skip the explanation - get straight to what you need to do.

Do I need an environmental permit?

Quick assessment of whether your business activities require an environmental permit from the Environment Agency or local council.

Achieving nutrient neutrality

Step-by-step guide to achieving nutrient neutrality for development in affected catchments. Learn how to calculate your nutrient budget, identify mitigation options, and prepare your planning application.

Start a retail business - compliance essentials

A comprehensive compliance onboarding journey for new retailers. Covers consumer rights, pricing law, age-restricted sales, product safety, data protection, accessibility duties, and specialist licences. Designed for first-time retail business owners who need to understand their legal obligations before opening.

Start a retail business

Launch a retail business with the right consumer protection compliance

Start a food business for the first time

Everything you need to do before opening a food business. Covers registration, premises, HACCP, training, allergens, labelling, and preparing for your first inspection.

Start offering consumer credit to customers

End-to-end learning path for businesses new to consumer credit. Covers understanding FCA regulation, obtaining authorisation, setting up pre-contract disclosures and affordability assessments, complying with advertising rules, and verifying ongoing compliance under the Consumer Duty.

Start selling online legally

Everything you need to know before launching an online shop. Covers distance selling regulations, pre-contract information, cancellation rights, refund obligations, website compliance, consumer rights for goods and digital content, and enforcement.

Understanding consumer rights law for traders

Learn your legal obligations when selling goods, services, or digital content to consumers. Covers the Consumer Rights Act 2015 quality standards, tiered remedies, distance selling rules, unfair contract terms, and enforcement penalties.

Open a shop

Start a retail business and open your first shop

Start a brewery or distillery

Launch a brewery, distillery, winery, or cidery in the UK

Start a hospitality business: licences, food safety, and compliance

End-to-end learning path for opening a hospitality business. Covers premises licences, food business registration, HACCP, fire safety, employer obligations, tipping law, and music licensing. Signposts to specialist guides for accommodation, events, and gaming.

Start a food business in Wales

Start a food manufacturing business

Set up a food or drink production and manufacturing business

Start a restaurant

Open a restaurant, cafe, or food business

Set up as an alcohol or drinks producer

Learning path for new drinks producers — brewers, distillers, winemakers and cidermakers, and makers of soft drinks and bottled water. Work out which rules apply, register and run a safe food business, get the producer approval and duty or levy obligations in place for what you make, then verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up an animal-origin food business

Learning path for new makers of products of animal origin — meat, poultry, fish and dairy. Work out which rules apply, register and run a safe food business, get your establishment approved and meet the animal-welfare, by-product and product-safety controls, then verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up as a food manufacturer

Learning path for new general and processed food manufacturers — bakeries, confectioners, oil and fat processors, millers and makers of prepared foods. Work out which rules apply, register and run a safe food business, keep contaminants and composition within legal limits, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Starting farming: complete compliance journey

New farmers: everything you need to register, comply, and access funding - from CPH numbers to environmental schemes. Follow this step-by-step journey from day one.

Becoming a livestock keeper: complete compliance guide

Comprehensive guide to livestock keeping compliance - from getting a CPH number to meeting welfare requirements. Covers cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats.

Becoming a sheep or goat keeper: end-to-end compliance

New to keeping sheep or goats? This journey walks you through the five things every keeper in England must do: register your land, get your flock or herd mark, tag your animals, set up a holding register, and learn the movement rules.

Set up a fishing or aquaculture business

Learning path for new fishing and aquaculture businesses — sea fishing vessel operators, shellfish and finfish farmers, land-based hatcheries and freshwater commercial fishers. Work out which rules apply, put your shore-based safety foundation in place, meet your vessel licensing and safety duties or your aquaculture and freshwater consenting obligations, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Start an agriculture business

Set up and register a farming or agricultural business - from choosing your structure to registering land and getting support

Start a financial services business

Launch an FCA-regulated financial services business with proper authorisation

Start a law firm in England and Wales

End-to-end learning path for setting up a law firm: choosing entity type, SRA authorisation, appointing COLP and COFA, professional indemnity insurance, client account setup, AML registration, complaints procedure, and price transparency.

Get FCA authorised: from perimeter check to Connect submission

A six-phase learning path for first-time applicants. Walks you from establishing whether you need authorisation, through choosing your route, building governance foundations, self-assessing the FCA's five threshold conditions, submitting through Connect, and handling case-officer scrutiny during the determination period.

Set up a management consultancy

Learning path for new management consultancies and head offices. Work out which rules apply, put your workplace, employment and electronic-marketing duties in place, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Start a healthcare business

Launch a healthcare or social care business with CQC registration

Start a social care provider business

End-to-end learning path for starting a social care business. Covers which regulator applies, CQC registration, registered manager requirements, workforce qualifications (Care Certificate, SSSC, Social Care Wales), staffing levels, insurance, Care Act duties, and devolved nations.

Start a childcare business

Launch a childcare business with Ofsted registration, safeguarding, and EYFS compliance

Starting a social care provider business

Step-by-step guide to starting a social care business — from choosing your regulator through workforce requirements to financial planning.

Start a fintech business

Launch a financial technology business requiring FCA authorisation

Start a tech business

Launch a software, digital services, or technology startup

Set up an IT and programming business

Learning path for new IT, programming and consultancy businesses. Work out which rules apply, set up a safe business with your health and safety, fire safety, insurance, equality, data protection and NIS duties in place, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Start a transport and logistics business

Launch a transport or haulage business with the right operator licence

Set up an air transport business

Learning path for new air transport operators — passenger airlines, cargo carriers and spaceflight operators. Work out which rules apply, put a safe operation and your employment duties in place, get your aviation and spaceflight licences and certificates, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Start a renewable energy business

Launch a renewable energy generation business (solar, wind, hydrogen, battery storage)

Set up a water supply business

Learning path for water collection, treatment and supply businesses. Work out which regulations apply, put your workplace foundations in place, meet your water industry regulatory duties and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Start a manufacturing business

Launch a manufacturing business with the right permits and compliance

Set up a non-metallic mineral products manufacturing business

Learning path for new manufacturers of glass, ceramics, cement, lime, plaster, concrete products and cut stone. Work out which rules apply, put a safe factory and your respirable-silica controls in place, meet the conformity rules for construction and consumer products you sell, handle your environmental permit and UK Emissions Trading Scheme duties if you run a kiln or furnace, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a paper manufacturing business

Learning path for new paper manufacturers — pulp and paper mills, board, corrugating, converting and paper products. Work out which rules apply, put a safe mill in place, manage your environmental permits and water, meet the product-market rules, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a rubber or plastics manufacturing business

Learning path for new rubber and plastics manufacturers — injection moulders and extruders, plastic builders' ware and pipe makers, plastic packaging and food-container manufacturers, and tyre and rubber-goods makers. Work out which rules apply, put a safe factory and your UK REACH duties in place, meet the conformity rules for products you place on the market, handle packaging producer responsibility and the Plastic Packaging Tax, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a basic metal production business

Learning path for new basic-metal producers — iron and steelworks, aluminium and other non-ferrous smelters and refiners, and iron, steel and non-ferrous foundries. Work out which rules apply, put a safe high-hazard production plant in place with its environmental and major-accident controls, meet the conformity rules for products you place on the market, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a coke or petroleum manufacturing business

Learning path for new operators of oil refineries, coke works and refined-petroleum plants. Work out which rules apply, set up a safe major-hazard installation (COMAH, DSEAR, environmental permit and UK ETS), meet the fuel-quality and excise-duty rules, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a furniture manufacturing business

Learning path for new furniture manufacturers — upholstered furniture and mattresses, wooden, kitchen and office furniture. Work out which rules apply, put a safe factory and your wood-dust controls in place, meet the furniture fire-safety and product-safety rules, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a machinery manufacturing business

Learning path for new machinery and equipment manufacturers — engines, pumps and compressors, machine tools, lifting and handling equipment, agricultural machinery and industrial plant. Work out which rules apply, put a safe factory and your employment duties in place, meet the conformity and type-approval regimes for what you make, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a machinery repair and installation business

Learning path for new repair and installation businesses — general machinery repair and industrial installation, and the specialist gas, refrigeration, pressure-systems, marine and aircraft trades. Work out which rules apply, put a safe business in place, get the specialist approvals for the systems you work on, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a metal fabrication business

Learning path for new fabricated-metal manufacturers — structural steel fabricators, tank and vessel makers, jobbing platers, tool and fastener makers and architectural metalworkers. Work out which rules apply, put a safe workshop in place, meet the conformity rules for products you place on the market, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a printing or media reproduction business

Learning path for new printers and reproduction businesses — commercial, digital, screen and large-format printers, packaging and label printers, and reproduction of recorded media. Work out which rules apply, put a safe print works and your employment duties in place, manage your solvents, inks and emissions if you use solvent-based chemicals, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a wood-products manufacturing business

Learning path for new wood-products manufacturers — sawmilling, veneers, plywood and panels, joinery, wooden packaging and cork goods. Work out which rules apply, put a safe plant and your wood-dust controls in place, meet the product-market rules, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up an other-manufacturing business

Learning path for new makers in Division 32 — jewellery, instruments, sports goods, toys, medical and dental devices and other goods. Work out which rules apply, put a safe workshop in place, meet the product-conformity regime for what you make, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up as a chemical manufacturer

Learning path for new chemical and chemical-products manufacturers. Work out which regimes apply to your products and site, get your substances and products correctly registered, classified and labelled for the GB market, put the major-hazard, environmental and explosives controls in place, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up as a textiles, clothing or leather manufacturer

Learning path for new textile, clothing and leather or footwear manufacturers. Get your products correctly labelled and safe to place on the GB market, set up environmental permits and effluent controls if you dye, finish or tan, check restricted and protected materials under UK REACH and CITES, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up as a vehicle or transport equipment manufacturer

Learning path for new vehicle and transport-equipment manufacturers and importers. Work out which approval regime applies to your product, get it type-approved and placed on the GB market, set up your ongoing end-of-life and restricted-substance duties, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up as an electronics or electrical equipment manufacturer

Learning path for new electronics and electrical equipment manufacturers and importers placing products on the GB and UK market. Work out which conformity regimes apply, get your products UKCA marked, set up your ongoing producer-responsibility duties for WEEE and batteries, and verify you have covered everything.

Start a creative business

Launch a creative business - freelance designer, photographer, writer, videographer, production company, or studio

Set up a broadcasting business

Learning path for new broadcasters — television, radio, community radio, on-demand programme services and transmission providers. Work out which rules apply, put a safe broadcasting operation and your employment duties in place, get your Ofcom licences and meet the Broadcasting Code and PECR duties, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a creative arts and entertainment business

Learning path for new creative arts and entertainment businesses — theatre companies, live music venues, dance companies, arts centres and touring productions. Work out which rules apply, put your workplace safety and licensing foundations in place, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a cultural activities organisation

Learning path for new cultural activities organisations — libraries, archives, museums, galleries, historic sites, botanical gardens, zoos and nature reserves. Work out which rules apply, put your safe-premises and employment foundations in place (plus zoo and dangerous-wild-animal licensing if you keep animals), and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Setting up a charity in Scotland

End-to-end learning path for setting up a charity in Scotland: understanding OSCR regulation, the charity test, registration, trustee duties, annual reporting and accounts, and ongoing compliance obligations.

Start a private security business

End-to-end learning path for starting a private security company. Covers SIA regulation, personal and business licensing, approved contractor status, insurance, recruiting licensed staff, training programme setup, and compliance systems for winning contracts.

Set up a public administration body

Learning path for public administration bodies — government departments, local authorities, defence establishments and agencies carrying out compulsory social security. Work out which regulations apply, put your workplace health and safety, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality (including the Public Sector Equality Duty) and data protection duties in place, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a metal ore mining business

Learning path for metal ore mining businesses — iron, copper, tin, lead, zinc, tungsten, uranium and thorium. Work out which regulations apply, put a safe mine in place, get the permits and consents you need, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a mining support service business

Learning path for mining support service businesses — drilling, well services, site preparation, pumping and draining for mining and petroleum operators. Work out which regulations apply, put your workplace foundations in place, meet your worksite compliance duties, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a petroleum extraction business

Learning path for petroleum extraction businesses — crude oil and natural gas, onshore and offshore. Work out which regulations apply, put your workplace foundations in place, get the licences, permits and meet your major-hazard duties, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a quarrying and mining business

Learning path for quarrying and mining businesses — stone, sand, gravel, clay, salt, peat and chemical minerals. Work out which regulations apply, put a safe quarry in place, get the permits and consents you need, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a remediation business

Learning path for remediation and decontamination businesses. Work out which regulations apply, put your workplace foundations in place, meet your environmental, waste and construction duties and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a sewerage business

Learning path for sewerage businesses — sewage collection, treatment and disposal. Work out which regulations apply, put your workplace foundations in place, meet your sewerage regulatory duties and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a waste management operation

Learning path for new waste management operators — waste collectors, transfer station and treatment plant operators, materials recovery facilities and end-of-life vehicle dismantlers. Work out which rules apply, put a safe workplace in place, meet your activity-specific environmental and registration duties, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up a scientific research operation

Learning path for new scientific research and development businesses — biotechnology labs, natural-science R&D, social-science R&D and humanities research. Work out which rules apply, put a safe workplace in place, meet the conditional regulatory duties for your type of research, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.

Set up as a pharmaceutical manufacturer

Learning path for new pharmaceutical manufacturers. Work out which MHRA authorisation applies to what you make, get registered or licensed with a Qualified Person and Good Manufacturing Practice, add a Home Office licence and the right permits and safety controls for your site, and verify everything with a compliance checklist.