Research by the World Bank shows that it takes just 13 days to set up a business in the UK compared to the European average of 32 days. It ranks the UK first in Europe and sixth in the world as a location for running a business.

The UK’s open, transparent and business-friendly system makes it easy to start up a new company and there are no separate rules for foreign business entities. For full details on registering a UK company or other business structure [opens a new website] visit the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) site.

If you’re looking for a suitable location for your business, the UKTI website has information on the 12 UK investment regions [opens a new website] including their comparative business strengths. You’ll also find contact details for the regional development agencies (RDAs) that provide business support in each region of the UK.

You can get information on the wide variety of commercial property options available in the UK [opens a new website] – from affordable office space to specialist science park and business incubator facilities.

UK inward investment figures 2006/07

Every year UK Trade & Investment produces a report of inward investment into the UK, broken down by sector and geography. Find out about UK investment activity in your sector in 2006/07 [opens a new website].