---
title: "Not trading yet: what you still need to do"
description: "Not trading yet: what you still need to do"
---
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2. [New Company Essentials](https://help.1stformations.co.uk/accounting-service/new-company-essentials?hsLang=en-gb)
3. [Before and Beyond Trading](https://help.1stformations.co.uk/accounting-service/new-company-essentials?hsLang=en-gb#before-and-beyond-trading)
# Not trading yet: what you still need to do
## You still have responsibilities if your company exists but isn’t trading yet
A company that has not started trading still has obligations. Missing them creates penalties out of all proportion to the effort involved.
### What still applies
- Companies House accounts are due for every period, trading or not
- HMRC should be told the company is not yet trading, so it does not expect a Corporation Tax return
- Keep records of any costs you incur; they are usually claimable once trading starts
### When trading starts
Tell us as soon as you begin trading, and we will take care of getting you set up with HMRC. After that, just keep us up to date with any changes, and we will make sure you continue to meet your filing obligations and claim any tax reliefs as they become available.
đź’ˇ **Good to know:** Give us your expected start date for trading at onboarding. We keep the filings right in the meantime, so you can focus on getting the business ready.
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