Family Office Setup in London
London remains Europe's deepest pool of investment talent, capital markets and professional services. For families with UK ties or global operating businesses, a London family office offers unmatched access — with careful navigation of the evolving UK tax landscape.
Key advantages
No family office licence
The UK has no dedicated family office regime; an SFO managing its own family's assets typically operates outside the FCA perimeter.
Talent density
The deepest pool of investment, legal and fiduciary professionals in Europe — recruiting a CIO in London is faster than anywhere on the continent.
Capital markets access
Direct access to LSE, European private equity, venture and credit markets, plus the world's leading insurance and FX centres.
Established trust law
Centuries of trust jurisprudence and sophisticated fiduciary services for succession and asset protection planning.
Regulatory framework
A single family office managing assets beneficially owned by one family generally does not conduct regulated activities 'by way of business' with third parties and therefore does not require FCA authorization. Advising or managing for multiple families, or marketing to outside investors, triggers full FCA authorization requirements.
The abolition of the non-dom regime (from April 2025) replaced remittance-basis taxation with a 4-year foreign income and gains regime for new arrivals. Structuring now emphasizes pre-arrival planning, offshore trusts settled before UK residence and treaty-based solutions. We coordinate UK counsel for every structure.
Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Company formation | £2,000 – 5,000 (one-time) |
| Legal & tax structuring | £75,000 – 200,000 (one-time) |
| Annual operating cost (lean SFO) | £600,000 – 2,000,000 |
| Mayfair/St James's office space | £150 – 250 / sq ft / year |
| FCA authorization (if MFO) | £25,000 – 100,000 + capital requirements |
Setup timeline
- Tax & residence planning (Weeks 1–6): Pre-arrival planning, structure design and UK counsel coordination.
- Entity formation (Weeks 7–9): Incorporation, banking and employment infrastructure.
- Team & premises (Weeks 10–18): CIO and key hires, office selection, custody and reporting stack.
- Governance launch (Weeks 19–24): Family charter, investment policy and board cadence.
Frequently asked questions
Does a London family office need FCA authorization?
A pure SFO managing one family's own assets generally does not. Serving multiple families or third parties brings the office within the FCA perimeter and requires authorization.
How have UK non-dom changes affected family offices?
The remittance basis was abolished from April 2025, replaced by a 4-year FIG regime for new arrivals. Long-term UK residents are now taxed on worldwide income — making pre-arrival structuring and trust planning more important than ever.
Is London still attractive after the tax changes?
For families prioritizing talent, capital markets and education, yes — often as an investment office paired with a DIFC or Swiss holding structure. We frequently design dual-hub solutions.
What does a London family office cost to run?
A lean investment office runs £600k–£2M annually; fully staffed offices with direct-deal teams exceed £5M.