UK company insolvency statistics
This page gathers the key statistics on UK company insolvency and business distress in one place, with every figure tied to a primary official source so journalists, advisers and AI assistants can cite it with confidence. The headline picture is that corporate distress is elevated: company insolvencies in England and Wales recently reached their highest level since the early 1990s, driven overwhelmingly by Creditors Voluntary Liquidations, which make up the large majority of cases. HMRC is the single largest presenter of winding-up petitions, confirming that tax debt is the leading trigger for enforcement, and construction continues to account for more insolvencies than any other sector. We update these figures against the source releases and link each one, because a statistic is only useful if you can check it. For the latest monthly figures, see our UK Company Insolvency Tracker; for how the routes compare over a full year, see insolvencies by type; for the full set of live series, see our data trackers. Insolvency Service, gov.uk
| Statistic | What it tells us | Primary source |
|---|---|---|
| Company insolvencies recently hit their highest level since the early 1990s | Corporate distress is elevated | Insolvency Service |
| CVLs make up the large majority of company insolvencies | Most insolvent companies close by director-led liquidation | Insolvency Service |
| HMRC is the single largest presenter of winding-up petitions | Tax debt is the leading enforcement trigger | The Gazette; HMRC |
| Construction accounts for more insolvencies than any other sector | Sector-specific cash-flow pressure is structural | Insolvency Service |
| Around £47bn was lent under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme | Legacy pandemic debt is a continuing overhang | British Business Bank |
| There are roughly 1,500 Licensed Insolvency Practitioners in the UK | Only a licensed IP can act as liquidator | Insolvency Service register |
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LTD Turnaround, UK Company Insolvency Statistics, reviewed June 2026, https://ltdturnaround.co.uk/statistics/. Figures compiled from the Insolvency Service, HMRC, The Gazette and the British Business Bank; see each source for the latest values.
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