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How do I form a Community interest company (CIC) via Inform Direct?

Rachel Blacklock
  • Updated

Inform Direct makes it easy to form new companies and submit these details to Companies House.

Select "Form New Company" from the top of the screen:

Select CIC under "Other company type" & enter the proposed company name above:


Here, you can choose between limited by shares and limited by guarantee, you can also choose the appropriate company suffix:


Follow through the remaining steps, adding the relevant addresses, people and classes. For help with these steps please see: Form a New Company with Inform Direct - Summary of the Formation Wizard

There is one remaining difference when forming a CIC - Step 3, articles and form CIC36. As you can see below, you are required to add your own bespoke articles and upload a completed CIC36 form.

Please note: Inform Direct is a self-service platform, we do not offer bespoke CIC articles. Unless you have the expertise in house, you will need to contact a solicitor directly to have these drafted.

At the end of the wizard, all the information will be sent to Companies House electronically on the IN01 form.

What else is different about forming a CIC, compared with a standard company?

  • A higher Companies House fee applies. CIC incorporations carry their own, higher statutory fee than a standard company formation (currently £115 online or £139 by post, following the Companies House fee increase from 1 February 2026). Inform Direct will show you the correct fee to pay as part of your chosen formation package.
  • Your application is also checked by the CIC Regulator. As well as being processed by Companies House, every CIC application is passed to the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies, who reviews your CIC36 community interest statement to confirm the company will genuinely benefit the community you've identified. The Regulator must authorise the application before Companies House will register the company.
  • Turnaround is typically longer. Because of this extra regulatory check, CIC formations usually take longer to be approved than a standard company formation submitted via Inform Direct — it's worth building this additional time into your planning.