Why UK How It Works The Funding About Book a Call
Budget 2026 · MRA now 70% · Effective 1 April 2026

UK EXPANSION.
70% LESS
RISK. Singapore · UK Trade Corridor · PMC-Led

Singapore Budget 2026 increased MRA grant funding to 70% of qualifying costs. As a licensed PMC with a UK partner already on the ground, we help Singapore SMEs enter the UK market — funded, compliant, and connected from day one.

Check Your MRA Eligibility — Free See how it works
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70%
Of qualifying costs funded via MRA
Budget 2026 · EnterpriseSG
PMC
Licensed Productivity Management Consultant
EnterpriseSG Recognised
3
Active SG–UK trade agreements in force
FTA · DEA · CPTPP
🇬🇧
Dedicated UK partner on the ground
HMRC-ready · Day one
Why UK?

THE CORRIDOR IS OPEN.
MOST BUSINESSES AREN'T.

You've built an AI solution that solves a real UK problem. UK mid-market accounting, tax, and compliance firms are drowning in manual work. They're losing margins. They're turning away revenue. Their tech stack is 10 years old. But you're in Singapore. You don't know UK law. You don't have UK advisors. You don't know how to set up properly. And you don't know who to trust.
Until now.

01
You're funding 100% yourself
The MRA grant now covers 70% of qualifying UK expansion costs — including business development, market set-up, and partner identification. Most SMEs don't claim it because they don't have a PMC to navigate the application. So they bear the full cost, or they don't go at all.
02
HMRC is not a DIY problem
Registering a UK entity takes a morning. Getting your HMRC obligations right, structuring your tax position correctly, and making sure your first UK business contacts are credible — that is not something you Google from Singapore. It requires someone already there.
03
Three trade agreements. Zero claims.
The FTA entered force 2021. The Digital Economy Agreement in 2022. CPTPP between the UK and Singapore in December 2024. Three overlapping frameworks with real benefits — and most Singapore businesses have never submitted a single claim under any of them.
04
The gaps won't wait
We analyse current UK demand by sector and match Singapore businesses to markets where competition is thin. The opportunity exists right now — but it belongs to whoever moves first, and your competitors are still looking at ASEAN.
How It Works

THREE STEPS.
FUNDED. COMPLIANT. LIVE.

You want certainty before commitment. You want to know: Is the UK market actually ready for my product? Will I find customers? What's the real cost? Can I afford it? You want a trusted network—not random lawyers from Google, but advisors you can actually rely on. You want speed. You don't have 6 months of runway to burn on incorporation and compliance. You want visibility into cost. No surprises. No hidden legal bills.
We are not a consultancy that hands you a report and sends you a bill. We are in it with you — from the MRA application in Singapore to your first live week in the UK market.

01
Map Your Entry
A free UK entry brief mapping the demand gaps your business can fill, the right legal structure, and which MRA pillars apply to your costs. You walk away with a clear picture before you commit to anything.
Free · 45 minutes · No obligation
02
Secure the Funding
As a licensed PMC, we prepare and submit your MRA application through the Business Grants Portal — identifying every qualifying cost under the Budget 2026 uplift of 70%. Funding is in place before you spend a dollar of your own.
PMC-navigated · Up to 70% funded · Budget 2026
03
Land in the UK
Our UK-based partner handles your HMRC setup, pre-qualifies your first business relationships, and gives you immediate access to a network that took years to build. You go in knowing the right people from day one.
On the ground · HMRC-ready · Pre-qualified contacts
Singapore Budget 2026 · MRA increased to 70% · Effective 1 April 2026
The MRA Grant

YOUR EXPANSION.
MOSTLY FUNDED.

The Market Readiness Assistance grant is Singapore's most underused internationalisation tool. It now covers 70% of qualifying costs for SMEs entering a new market — including the UK.

Pillar 01
Overseas Marketing Promotion
Launch events, roadshows, trade fair participation, PR and media activities in the UK. Everything that introduces your brand to UK buyers.
S$20K cap
Pillar 02
Overseas Business Development
Business matching, partner identification, distributor introductions, in-market business development. This is where the majority of the grant applies.
S$50K cap
Pillar 03
Overseas Market Set-Up
Entity registration, FTA consultancy, IP search, import/export licences, tax structure advisory. The legal and structural foundation of your UK presence.
S$30K cap
"
Internationalisation in 2023 and 2024 is no longer just for the big boys — but even for smaller first-timers. Going overseas is almost a necessity from day one for those keen to grow and make their mark.
Peter Ong · Chairman, EnterpriseSG
Source: The Straits Times · Enterprise Singapore
Why Lumacore

NOT A CONSULTANT.
AN OPERATOR.

There are advisors who will tell you how to enter the UK. Accounting firms who will handle your tax once you are there. Research agencies who will sell you a report. Lumacore is none of those things — and all of them, already operational in both markets.

🎓
PMC-Certified. MRA-Authorised.
A Productivity Management Consultant licence is issued and recognised by Enterprise Singapore. It authorises us to prepare and submit MRA grant applications on your behalf — a specific legal function, not a self-appointed title. This is what makes the 70% funding accessible.
EnterpriseSG PMC Framework · Budget 2026 Rate
🇬🇧
A UK Partner Who's Already There
Not a referral list. Not a spreadsheet of contacts. Our dedicated UK-based partner is an active operator — handling HMRC entity setup, pre-qualifying your first UK business relationships, and giving you concierge-level entry from day one. Built before we took our first client.
On-the-ground presence · HMRC-compliant · Operational
⚡
We Target the Gaps, Not the Obvious
We do not send every Singapore business to the same saturated sectors. We analyse current UK demand and match your offer to where demand is underserved and competition is thin. The corridor data tells us where the gaps are — we take you there before the crowd does.
Gap-first strategy · Sector-specific intelligence
🔗
Three Agreements. One Firm That Uses Them.
FTA. DEA. CPTPP. Three active SG–UK trade frameworks with real tariff, services, and digital economy benefits — and most Singapore businesses have never structured their entry to use any of them. We know which applies to what, and how to position your business to benefit.
FTA · DEA · CPTPP · Corridor specialists
The SG–UK Corridor

THE MOST UNDERUSED
TRADE CORRIDOR IN ASIA.

Three agreements built over four years. Most Singapore SMEs have never touched any of them. Here is what exists — and what it means for your business right now.

February 2021
UK–Singapore Free Trade Agreement
Tariff elimination on goods, improved market access to services, enhanced government procurement opportunities, and stronger IP protection. The foundational agreement that most Singapore exporters to the UK have never formally claimed under.
In Force
June 2022
UK–Singapore Digital Economy Agreement
The world's first trade agreement with binding commitments on lawtech. Covers AI, fintech, regtech, digital identities, and secure international data flows. Critical for Singapore's tech and professional services firms entering the UK.
In Force
December 2024
CPTPP — UK and Singapore
Entered into force between the UK and Singapore on 15 December 2024. 94% of Singapore's exports to CPTPP markets now face zero or reduced tariffs. The newest and most far-reaching agreement — and almost no Singapore SME has structured their UK entry to use it.
In Force · Dec 2024
April 2026
MRA Grant Increases to 70%
Singapore Budget 2026 increased MRA grant support from 50% to 70% for SMEs, effective 1 April 2026. The highest MRA rate in the grant's history. For a Singapore SME entering the UK, this is the single most significant financial development of 2026 — and most competitors have not yet adjusted their plans around it.
New · Budget 2026
Common Questions

WHAT FOUNDERS
ACTUALLY ASK US.

The questions we hear most from Singapore SME owners thinking about the UK move.

Do I need to already have a UK company registered? +
No. We handle the UK entity setup as part of the market set-up pillar — which is MRA-fundable. You do not need anything in place before we start. That is the point of working with us before you go, not after.
How long does the MRA application take? +
Application submission typically takes 2–4 weeks once we have your financials and project scope confirmed. Enterprise Singapore assesses within 4–8 weeks. The grant is retrospective in that it covers costs incurred after submission — so we move quickly and in parallel with your planning.
What types of Singapore businesses qualify? +
Your business must be registered and operating in Singapore, with at least 30% local equity held by Singaporeans or PRs, annual group turnover below S$100 million, and less than S$100,000 in sales from the UK in each of the last three years. We work with you to review your eligibility.
What is the 2026 IDV (Identity Verification) Mandate? +
Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, all UK company directors—including non-UK resident founders—must complete mandatory digital identity verification linked to Companies House. Failing to do this will result in strike-off notices and enforcement actions. We handle this as part of incorporation.
Can I use an online formation service instead? It is cheaper (£12-300).+
If you only need a legal name, yes. But if you plan to actively trade, raise VC, hire staff, or protect IP, cheap automated registration leaves you exposed to structural liabilities. Go Live UK provides a comprehensive legal shield: proper corporate structure, IP protection strategy, tax optimization, and compliance certainty. Most founders find that the difference is worth it after their first hire or investor conversation.
What does your company actually do? +
On top of supporting your grant application process, our UK arm handles HMRC compliance setup, pre-screens and introduces local business contacts, advises on sector-specific UK market positioning, and provides premium concierge support during your initial market entry. Think of us as your boots on the ground from day one — not a referral, an operator.
Are you the only firm doing this for the SG–UK corridor? +
There are other PMCs helping Singapore SMEs expand internationally, and there are UK market entry advisors. What does not exist — to our knowledge — is a single firm that combines PMC-led MRA access specifically for UK entry, with a dedicated operational UK partner handling HMRC and local relationship pre-qualification on the ground. That specific combination is what Lumacore is built around.
What if I fail to qualify for the MRA Grant?+
Rare, but possible. We assess qualification upfront during Phase 1. If you don't qualify, we tell you immediately—before the £3,000 fee. You can pivot to another market. Our incentive is your success, not extracting fees from failed expansions.
Can I claim my flights and accommodation as MRA expenses?+
Direct travel costs are excluded from MRA reimbursement. However, you can stack the DTDi (Double Tax Deduction) on international travel/accommodation up to £400,000/year without prior approval. So while the grant won't reimburse your flights, the tax deduction will offset them substantially.
What does it cost to work with you? +
Our consultation and MRA application management is structured as a project fee, a portion of which is itself MRA-fundable as a qualifying business development cost. The net cost to you after grant reimbursement is significantly lower than the headline figure. Book a free 45-minute call and we will walk you through the actual numbers for your situation.
Founding Cohort · 2026

THE WINDOW
IS OPEN.
NOW.

Budget 2026 increased MRA funding to 70% on 1 April 2026. The SG–UK trade corridor has three active agreements. The UK has sector gaps your business can fill. Book a free 45-minute call — we will tell you exactly whether you qualify, what the MRA covers, and what UK entry would actually cost you.

No pitch. No contract. Just the numbers.
Book Your Free Entry Call Check MRA Eligibility Join the UK Expansion Event

We are currently onboarding our founding cohort of UK expansion clients for 2026. If you are planning to move this year, you are talking to us at exactly the right time — and we will build your case study together. Early clients receive priority access and a founder rate.