Insolvency Service Enforcement Outcomes 2023-24
Updated 12 April 2024
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/insolvency-service-enforcement-outcomes-management-information/insolvency-service-enforcement-outcomes-2023-24
These tables show numbers of director disqualifications and bankruptcy and debt relief order restrictions achieved by the Insolvency Service. They are sourced from live Insolvency Service administrative systems and therefore some figures may be revised in future updates.
1. Director Disqualifications
Table 1 shows numbers of director disqualifications in Great Britain resulting from enforcement activity of the Insolvency Service under Sections 2, 6 and 8 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act (CDDA) 1986. For Section 2, only those cases resulting from a referral or significant input from the Insolvency Service are included. The total number of director disqualifications is published annually by Companies House.
Table 1: Number and mean length of director disqualifications, Great Britain, 2023/24
| Period | Number | Mean length (years) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 1,213 | 8.4 |
| Apr 23 | 85 [r] | 8.0 [r] |
| May 23 | 99 | 7.7 |
| Jun 23 | 83 | 8.5 |
| Jul 23 | 111 | 8.0 |
| Aug 23 | 105 | 8.4 |
| Sep 23 | 89 | 9.2 |
| Oct 23 | 116 | 8.6 |
| Nov 23 | 125 [r] | 8.7 |
| Dec 23 | 85 | 8.3 [r] |
| Jan 24 | 113 | 8.4 |
| Feb 24 | 113 [r] | 8.9 |
| Mar 24 | 89 | 8.6 |
[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table
Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems
1.1 Section 6 Director Disqualifications
Table 2 contains numbers of disqualifications under Section 6 of the CDDA. Section 6 relates to unfit conduct in relation to an insolvent or dissolved company. The number of allegations relating to COVID-19 financial support scheme abuse are also shown. Numbers of allegations are derived from information recorded on the Insolvency Service administrative systems. In some cases multiple allegations were recorded. The numbers below include all cases for which at least one allegation related to COVID-19 financial support schemes was recorded.
Since December 2021, the Insolvency Service has had the power to investigate directors of dissolved companies as well as insolvent companies. The numbers of Section 6 disqualifications relating to dissolved companies are shown in the table below.
Table 2: Director disqualifications under Section 6 of the CDDA, Great Britain, 2023/24
| Period | Section 6 Disqualifications | Of which relate to dissolved companies | Of which relate to COVID-19 financial support scheme abuse allegations | Mean length (years) for COVID-19 allegations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 1,162 | 39 | 831 | 9.6 |
| Apr 23 | 84 | 5 | 49 | 9.4 |
| May 23 | 87 | 0 | 54 | 9.5 |
| Jun 23 | 80 | 2 | 53 | 9.5 |
| Jul 23 | 111 | 3 | 67 | 9.3 |
| Aug 23 | 98 | 3 | 65 | 9.8 |
| Sep 23 | 86 | 11 | 72 | 9.8 |
| Oct 23 | 112 | 2 | 79 | 9.7 |
| Nov 23 | 117 [r] | 3 | 87 | 9.9 |
| Dec 23 | 81 | 1 | 58 | 9.8 |
| Jan 24 | 110 | 1 | 85 | 9.4 |
| Feb 24 | 109 [r] | 3 [r] | 89 [r] | 9.6 |
| Mar 24 | 87 | 5 | 73 | 9.3 |
[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table
Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems
2. Bankruptcy Restrictions
Table 3 contains information on bankruptcy and debt relief restrictions, imposed under the Insolvency Act 1986. It is derived from information recorded on Insolvency Service administrative systems. The number of debt relief restrictions is small and therefore only the combined numbers of bankruptcy and debt relief restrictions are shown.
Table 3: Bankruptcy and debt relief restrictions, England & Wales, 2023/24
| Period | Number | Mean length (years) | COVID-19 financial support scheme abuse allegations | Mean length (years) for COVID-19 allegations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 134 | 8.5 | 93 | 9.8 |
| Apr 23 | 7 | 8.0 | 5 | 8.6 |
| May 23 | 14 | 7.6 | 9 | 9.2 |
| Jun 23 | 12 | 8.7 | 9 | 9.7 |
| Jul 23 | 11 | 7.2 | 5 | 8.8 |
| Aug 23 | 7 | 8.7 | 4 | 10.8 |
| Sep 23 | 5 | 7.7 | 3 | 10.3 |
| Oct 23 | 15 | 8.2 | 9 | 9.8 |
| Nov 23 | 11 | 8.7 | 7 | 9.9 |
| Dec 23 | 8 | 9.6 | 6 | 10.7 |
| Jan 24 | 12 | 8.7 | 9 | 10.2 |
| Feb 24 | 16 [r] | 9.2 [r] | 13 [r] | 10.3 |
| Mar 24 | 16 | 9.1 | 14 | 9.2 |
[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table
Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems