How many insolvency practitioners are there in the UK?
There were 1,480 authorised insolvency practitioners in the UK on 1 January 2026, of whom 1,262 take formal appointments. Only someone licensed by a recognised professional body can legally act as your liquidator or administrator, so checking the register before you engage anyone is worth the two minutes it takes. Insolvency Service, Annual Review of Insolvency Practitioner Regulation 2025
Data as of: 1 January 2026, published 7 July 2026
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| How many | 1,480 on 1 January 2026 (1,262 take appointments) |
| By licensing body | IPA 637, ICAEW 777, ICAS 66 |
| Who can be a liquidator | Only a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner |
| Who regulates them | Recognised professional bodies (such as ICAEW and IPA) |
| How to check | Search the Insolvency Service register of practitioners |
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Only a licensed insolvency practitioner can take a company through a formal insolvency procedure, and there are relatively few of them. Before instructing one, check they are licensed and ask up front how they will be paid.
General information, not advice about your company.
Methodology and source
Only a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner can act as a liquidator or administrator, so it is worth knowing how to check that anyone you deal with is genuinely licensed, which you can do on the Insolvency Service register. This page doubles as a guide to finding the right practitioner, and our insolvency practitioner directory lists every practitioner on the register by name, firm and town. When you ask us for help, we review your situation and reply by email when we can, including pointing you to a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner where that’s the right route, never an unregulated adviser.
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