What's in a name

[Frog Morton]

Trying to canvass some opinion on Ltd Co names.

Appreciate that it doesn't really matter what you call your Co, but wondering whether HMRC are likely to pay more attention if you have a "John Smith Consulting Ltd" type name. Not that I'm planning to do anything I shouldn't be doing, of course.

Any thougths anyone.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

I hear a lot of this. People say don't use words like Consulting, IT, Engineering etc as the HMRC will see you as within the IR35 catchment area. Personally I think its b*ll*cks but it may have some merit and it if makes you feel better...

[DimPrawn]

I'm worried now as I'm using "Disguised Employee Limited" as a tax saving vehicle to avoid NI on deemed salary.

[Sockpuppet]

All the ex MSc used dodgy names.

I enquired to one and asked what the name would be and it was something like "Sprig Educational Services". I went MyCo Ltd the same day.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

I'm worried now as I'm using "Disguised Employee Limited" as a tax saving vehicle to avoid NI on deemed salary.

There's a company registered as Tax Avoidance Ltd. Surely if they were going to investigate a company, the Rev would look at them. Looks like they are an accounting firm too.

[thunderlizard]

All is well at If You Investigate Me You're a Big Fat Poof Limited

[Archangel]

If I were starting again I'd use an ambiguous name:

"Salford Trading Company Ltd" or somesuch, just to detach me from the company, not so much for HMRC, but for suppliers etc, myco just sounds like a one man band.

I would think HMRC are more likely to use the SIP Codes you have to use giving the nature of the company's business rather than its name, as the former can be selected automatically where the latter needs manual selection.

Just my £0.02 worth

[ChimpMaster]

I would have thought that HMRC can just check what industry ur Ltd CO operates in and hence have no need to look at the name. I.e. they can probably just list all companies in I.T.

[Flubster]

Indeed. They can just look at the SIC code that you use when you register your company at Companies House. Having access to Experian data right now, I can extract details on any company with 2 or less employees registered as SIC 7222 in my local area and bombard with "IR35 Investigation Imminent" letters to them just for a laugh...

[Platypus]

Trying to canvass some opinion on Ltd Co names.

Appreciate that it doesn't really matter what you call your Co, but wondering whether HMRC are likely to pay more attention if you have a "John Smith Consulting Ltd" type name. Not that I'm planning to do anything I shouldn't be doing, of course.

Any thougths anyone.

Yes, do what I've done on several occasions:
Spends weeks nay months agonising over a name, then when you're certain it's perfect, register it and incorporate the company. Then about 3 days later realise it's the worst crappiest name for a company ever.

Edit: The moral here is don't worry about it, just go with anything.