Main messages for England and Wales

• The number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales was 2,053 in April 2025, 3% higher than in March 2025 (1,996) but 5% lower than the same month in the previous year (2,163 in April 2024). Company insolvencies over the past 12 months have been slightly lower than in 2023, which saw a 30-year high annual number, but have remained high relative to historical levels.

• Company insolvencies in April 2025 consisted of 379 compulsory liquidations, 1,544 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 105 administrations, 24 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs) and one receivership appointment. The (seasonally adjusted) number of compulsory liquidations in April 2025 was the highest monthly number since September 2014. The number of CVLs in April 2025 was similar to both March 2025 and the 2024 monthly average. Administrations were lower than in March 2025, while CVAs were higher.

• One in 190 companies on the Companies House effective register (at a rate of 52.5 per 10,000 companies) entered insolvency between 1 May 2024 and 30 April 2025. This was a decrease from the 57.0 per 10,000 companies that entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 30 April 2024. Insolvency rates are calculated on a 12-month rolling basis as a proportion of the total number of companies on the effective register. The 12-month rolling rates show longer term trends and reduce the volatility associated with estimates based on single months.

• While the insolvency rate has increased since the lows seen in 2020 and 2021, it remains much lower than the peak of 113.1 per 10,000 companies seen during the 2008-09 recession. This is because the number of companies on the effective register has more than doubled over this period.

• The number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales was 2,238 in May 2025, 8% higher than in April 2025 (2,074) and 15% higher than the same month in the previous year (1,946 in May 2024). Monthly company insolvency numbers in the first five months of 2025 were slightly higher than in 2024 and at a similar level to 2023, which saw a 30-year high annual number of insolvencies.

• Company insolvencies in May 2025 consisted of 354 compulsory liquidations, 1,734 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 136 administrations and 14 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). There were no receivership appointments. The number of compulsory liquidations was 7% lower than the 10-year high seen in April 2025, but remained higher than both May 2024 and the 2024 monthly average. The number of CVLs in May 2025 was higher than both April 2025 and the 2024 monthly average. Administrations were higher than in April 2025, while CVAs were lower.

• One in 189 companies on the Companies House effective register (at a rate of 53.0 per 10,000 companies) entered insolvency between 1 June 2024 and 31 May 2025. This was a decrease from the 55.6 per 10,000 companies that entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 31 May 2024. Insolvency rates are calculated on a 12-month rolling basis as a proportion of the total number of companies on the effective register. The 12-month rolling rates show longer term trends and reduce the volatility associated with estimates based on single months.

• While the insolvency rate has increased since the lows seen in 2020 and 2021, it remains much lower than the peak of 113.1 per 10,000 companies seen during the 2008-09 recession. This is because the number of companies on the effective register has more than doubled over this period.

Main messages for England and Wales

• After seasonal adjustment, the number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales was 2,035 in February 2025, 3% higher than in January 2025 (1,978) but 7% lower than the same month in the previous year (2,188 in February 2024). Company insolvencies over the past year have been slightly lower than in 2023, which saw a 30-year high annual number, but have remained high relative to historical levels.

• Company insolvencies in February 2025 consisted of 393 compulsory liquidations, 1,520 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 115 administrations and 7 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). There were no receivership appointments. Compulsory liquidations were higher than in January 2025, while CVLs, administrations and CVAs were lower. The (seasonally adjusted) number of compulsory liquidations in February 2025 was the highest monthly number since September 2014.

• One in 191 companies on the Companies House effective register (at a rate of 52.4 per 10,000 companies) entered insolvency between 1 March 2024 and 28 February 2025. This was a decrease from the 57.6 per 10,000 companies that entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 29 February 2024. Insolvency rates are calculated on a 12-month rolling basis as a proportion of the total number of companies on the effective register. The 12-month rolling rates show longer term trends and reduce the volatility associated with estimates based on single months.

• While the insolvency rate has increased since the lows seen in 2020 and 2021, it remains much lower than the peak of 113.1 per 10,000 companies seen during the 2008-09 recession. This is because the number of companies on the effective register has more than doubled over this period.

Main messages for England and Wales

• After seasonal adjustment, the number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales in March 2024 was 1,815, 17% lower than in February 2024 (2,177) and 17% lower than the same month in the previous year (2,193 in March 2023). However, numbers of company insolvencies remained much higher than those seen both during the COVID-19 pandemic and between 2014 and 2019.

• Company insolvencies in March 2024 consisted of 261 compulsory liquidations, 1,437 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 108 administrations and 9 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). Numbers of all types of company insolvency were lower than in both March 2023 and February 2024.

• One in 179 companies on the Companies House effective register (at a rate of 55.8 per 10,000 companies) entered insolvency between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. This was an increase from the 53.5 per 10,000 companies that entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 31 March 2023. These 12-month rolling rates are calculated as a proportion of the total number of companies on the effective register to show longer term trends and reduce the volatility that would be associated with estimates based on single months.

• While the insolvency rate has increased since the lows seen in 2020 and 2021, it remains much lower than the peak of 113.1 per 10,000 companies seen during the 2008-09 recession. This is because the number of companies on the effective register has more than doubled over this period.

• The number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales was 2,043 in June 2025, 8% lower than in May 2025 (2,230) and 16% lower than the same month in the previous year (2,430 in June 2024). Monthly company insolvency numbers in the first six months of 2025 were slightly higher than the second half of 2024, but remain lower than the 30-year annual high seen in 2023.

• Company insolvencies in June 2025 consisted of 332 compulsory liquidations, 1,585 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 111 administrations and 15 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). There were no receivership appointments. The number of compulsory liquidations was 6% lower than May 2025, but remained higher than both June 2024 and the 2024 monthly average. The number of CVLs in June 2025 was lower than May 2025, but was similar to the average numbers seen over the last 18 months. Administrations were lower than in May 2025, while CVAs were slightly higher.

• One in 191 companies on the Companies House effective register (at a rate of 52.4 per 10,000 companies) entered insolvency between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. This was a decrease from the 55.8 per 10,000 companies that entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 30 June 2024. Insolvency rates are calculated on a 12-month rolling basis as a proportion of the total number of companies on the effective register. The 12-month rolling rates show longer term trends and reduce the volatility associated with estimates based on single months.

• While the insolvency rate has increased since the lows seen in 2020 and 2021, it remains much lower than the peak of 113.1 per 10,000 companies seen during the 2008-09 recession. This is because the number of companies on the effective register has more than doubled over this period.

Official statistics are produced impartially and free from political influence.

Annual 2021

• One in 304 active companies (at a rate of 32.9 per 10,000 active companies) entered liquidation in 2021. This was an increase from the 29.4 per 10,000 active companies that entered liquidation in 2020, but remained lower than the 41.9 per 10,000 in 2019.

• The total number of company insolvencies registered in 2021 was 14,048, which was higher than the 12,634 in 2020, but remained below pre-pandemic levels.

• The increase compared to 2020 was driven by the highest annual number of Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations (CVLs) since 2009. However, the number of CVLs in 2021 was only slightly higher than in 2019 and was consistent with the increasing trend in CVL numbers before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

• All other types of company insolvencies were lower than both 2020 and pre-pandemic levels. The annual number of compulsory liquidations was the lowest since the start of the series in 1960.

• Increases in insolvencies were seen across most industries in 2021 compared to 2020. Several sectors showed increases above the overall annual increase of 11%, including Professional, scientific and technical activities (up 35%) and Construction (up 25%).

Quarterly Q4 2021

• Between 1 October and 31 December (Q4) 2021, there were 4,627 (seasonally adjusted) registered company insolvencies, as shown in Figure 1, comprised of 4,175 creditors’ voluntary liquidations, 147 compulsory liquidations, 272 administrations, and 33 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). There were no receivership appointments.

• In Q4 2021, after seasonal adjustment, the number of company insolvencies was 18% higher than in Q3 2021 and 51% higher than in Q4 2020. This was driven by an increase in CVLs to the highest quarterly level since the series began in 1960. The increase in CVLs in the second half of 2021 coincided with the phasing out of measures put in place to support businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Numbers for other company insolvency procedures registered in Q4 2021 were higher than the previous quarter (Q3 2021) but remained low compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Correction notice

Following publication of the accompanying tables at 9:30am on 29th January it was identified that some of the underlying company insolvency numbers were incorrect. The errors were a result of a processing error and affected some of the numbers in Tables 1c, 1d and 3b. The errors were corrected and the tables were re-published at midday on 29th January. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Release Information

This statistics release contains the latest data on company insolvency (companies which are unable to pay debts and enter liquidation, or enter administration or other company rescue process) .

Statistics are presented separately for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland because of differences in legislation and policy.

Main messages

Company Insolvencies in Q4 2020

Overall numbers of company insolvencies in England and Wales increased in comparison to Q3 2020, yet they were lower than during the same period in the previous year.

The rise in comparison to Q3 2020 was driven by an increase in creditors’ voluntary liquidations.

There were fewer compulsory liquidations and administrations during Q4 than Q3, while company voluntary arrangements increased but remained low.

All insolvency procedures, except company voluntary arrangements, were lower in Q4 2020 than during the same period last year.

Company insolvencies in 2020

Total company insolvencies decreased in 2020 to the lowest annual level since 2007.

This was mainly driven by a drop in creditors’ voluntary liquidations, which dropped to their lowest level since 2007.

Numbers of all other company insolvency procedures fell in 2020, except administrative receivership appointments, which remain low.

The reduction in company insolvencies in 2020 compared with 2019 was likely to be partly driven by Government measures put in place in response to the coronavirus (COVID 19).

• One in 386 active companies (at a rate of 25.9 per 10,000 active companies) entered liquidation between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. This is a decrease from the 36.9 per 10,000 active companies that entered liquidation in the 12 months ending 30 June 2020.
• During Q2 2021, there were 3,116 (seasonally adjusted) registered company insolvencies, comprising 2,819 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 102 compulsory liquidations, 169 administrations, 25 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs), and one receivership appointment.
• After seasonal adjustment, the number of company insolvencies was 31% higher than in Q1 2021 and 4% higher than in Q2 2020. This was driven by an increase in CVLs, while all other company insolvency procedures were lower than the previous quarter and the same quarter of the previous year.