Quick guide to the model articles

This toolkit for setting up a company includes all the documentation and guidance you need to start a new company from scratch. It includes 14 documents designed to help you get started and take your first steps with your company, whilst making sure that you comply with the law from day one. The documents include: step-by-step guidance to help you fill in the form to create a new company; handy summaries of how things work to help you make good choices, like what the effect of different shareholding percentages has on the control of your company; checklists to help you run your company properly from the start, including how to pass proper board and shareholder resolutions; and template company registers, including guidance on how to fill them in and examples to make it easy. The straightforward how-to guide will take you step-by-step through how to use the documents and checklists in this tookit, whether this is your first company or you are experienced and keen to make sure you get the details right.

This toolkit contains all the legal documentation and know-how you need to enter a shareholders' agreement. The toolkit is suitable for existing shareholders entering a shareholders' agreement, or where a new investor is entering the company and a new shareholders' agreement is needed to regulate the relationship between shareholders. It comprises 9 key documents, as well as a how-to guide, all with options to cover a new share investor, including: shareholders' agreement; new articles of association, to ensure that the articles are compatible with the shareholders' agreement; and template board and shareholder resolutions to obtain approval of the agreement and new articles. Our helpful how-to guide will take you step by step through how to use the documents included in this pack, whether you are a new business seeking to regularise the relations between your shareholders, or modifying your existing arrangements to include a new share investor.

This small claims toolkit guides you through the right process to follow if you want to make a straightforward small claim against someone, and contains a pack of all of the template documents you are likely to need. Use the small claims process to get back money you are owed for amounts less than £10,000 (for example, if a supplier has not sent you the right goods or you have not received payment from a customer). Documents provided in this small claims toolkit include: letter before action (also known as a letter of claim), which must be sent to someone before you sue them to set out what you are claiming; witness statement, which provides a template for any witness statements you are providing to ensure they are legally compliant; and letter of non-attendance for small claims hearing (if you want the court to judge your case on paper evidence rather than you attending a hearing). By using this small claims toolkit you can avoid the need to use a lawyer and maximise your chances of getting back money you are owed. It helps you avoid common mistakes that can reduce your chance of a successful claim.

This redundancy toolkit guides you through the key steps you need to take to make an employee redundant, and provides a pack of the relevant template documents you are likely to need. You will find guidance and a pack of 9 supporting documents, including letters, notices and agendas, for each step of the redundancy process: Initial steps (considering alternatives and reasons for redundancies); Creating a redundancy pool, applying selection criteria and notifying employees; Carrying out a consultation process; and Making a final decision, calculating payments and terminating employment. It also includes a template letter to offer alternative employment to employees who are at risk of being made redundant. By using this redundancy toolkit, you will ensure that your redundancy process is fair and legally compliant, which reduces the chance of any employees suing you. The guidance in this redundancy toolkit also helps you to ensure you do not make redundancies in a discriminatory way. Use this redundancy toolkit to ensure you are legally compliant without the need for a lawyer.