Co-operative Registration & Development
Catalyst collective is a worker co-operative.
We help people set up and register co-operatives.
In the last 17 years, catalyst collective has worked with over 200 housing co-operatives, about 75 worker co-ops,
some charities, and a variety of different companies with co-operative aims.
Many successful social enterprises have been registered with the help of catalyst. Many people are now living without bosses or landlords, after setting up cooperatives to buy housing, or develop ethical businesses. Catalyst was set up specifically to help people create a cooperative life.
Registration of Housing Co-ops
A housing co-op is an Industrial and Provident Society, registered with the Financial Services Authority.
A minimum of three people are needed to form a housing co-op.
Radical Routes Limited (of which Catalyst is a member) is a 'promoting body' for housing co-operatives with the Registrar of Friendly Societies (part of the Financial Services Authority.
This enables us to offer registration of fully mutual housing co-ops, acting on behalf of Radical Routes.
Registration using our model rules costs £375.00
Membership of Radical Routes is not necessary to make use of this service, although many co-ops who register through us do become RR members, or associates. You may find the network's support for new co-ops is invaluable to you.
We recommend reading the How to Set Up A Housing Co-op book as your first step before registration.
Registration of Worker Co-ops
A worker co-op is a company owned and democratically controlled by its employees.
Unlike an ordinary company, the workers and members are the same people.
We usually register worker co-ops as a Company Limited by Guarantee, using our model Memorandum & Articles - the co-op's governing document - we've made this as simple as possible. Registration is just the same as any other company formation. The company is managed by all of the members (who are also employees and directors) through consensus decision-making.
But we also have models for a worker co-op with a Company Limited by Share structure.
Registration using either of these models costs £120.
We suggest reading the How to Set Up A Worker Co-op book as your firast step, before proceeding with registration.
Other types of co-operative
Further information about different types of co-operatives is available from HERERegistered in England, as a worker co-operative, company limited by guarantee No. 2738104.
Nest Farm, High Street, Ilketshall St Margaret, Bungay, Suffolk NR35 2NA
Email: info (at) catalystcollective.org
