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Insolvency Service enforcement outcomes 2025-26

Updated 23 February 2026

These tables show numbers of director disqualifications, bankruptcy and debt relief restrictions achieved by the Insolvency Service as well as on-going and concluded civil and criminal investigations. 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, 2025/26 year to date

Period Number Mean length (years)
2025/26 YTD 898 8.0
Apr 25 100 8.0
May 25 96 8.4
Jun 25 83 8.0
Jul 25 96 [r] 7.9 [r]
Aug 25 83 7.9
Sep 25 82 8.2
Oct 25 100 [r] 7.7 [r]
Nov 25 85 [r] 8.4
Dec 25 82 [r] 7.8
Jan 26 91 8.3

[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 Company Directors Disqualification Act (CDDA) 1986. 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, 2025/26 year to date

Period Section 6 disqualifications in period Of which relate to dissolved companies Of which relate to unfair treatment of the crown allegations Of which relate to COVID-19 financial support scheme abuse allegations Mean length (years) for COVID-19 allegations
2025/26 YTD 813 2 99 595 9.3
Apr 25 88 0 7 65 9.3
May 25 90 0 7 72 9.2
Jun 25 77 1 12 53 9.2
Jul 25 89 [r] 0 10 68 [r] 9.0
Aug 25 78 0 10 58 9.3
Sep 25 73 0 9 53 9.7
Oct 25 87 [r] 1 14 66 [r] 9.4
Nov 25 75 [r] 0 10 54 [r] 9.5
Dec 25 72 [r] 0 10 46 [r] 9.4
Jan 26 84 0 10 60 9.5

[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 and Wales, 2025/26 year to date

Period Number Mean length (Years) Of which relate to COVID-19 financial support scheme abuse allegations Mean length (years) for COVID-19 allegations
2025/26 YTD 68 7.8 41 9.0
Apr 25 10 7.5 5 9.0
May 25 9 7.3 6 8.5
Jun 25 6 6.5 3 8.7
Jul 25 11 8.5 8 9.1
Aug 25 8 8.5 5 8.8
Sep 25 12 8.3 8 9.2
Oct 25 5 7.6 3 9.3
Nov 25 1 5.0 0 [z]
Dec 25 2 6.5 1 7.0
Jan 26 4 9.0 2 10.5

[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table.

[z] indicates the data is not applicable.

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems

3. Criminal investigation outcomes

Table 4 contains information on the number of defendants convicted following a criminal investigation and charges brought by the Insolvency Service. Convicted defendants may receive more than one sentence.

Table 4: Criminal investigation outcomes, Great Britain, 2025/26 year to date

Period Defendants convicted Of which relate to COVID-19 financial support scheme abuse
2025/26 YTD 62 26
Apr 25 12 7
May 25 8 3
Jun 25 6 3
Jul 25 5 2
Aug 25 2 1
Sep 25 4 3
Oct 25 8 [r] 2
Nov 25 3 [r] 0
Dec 25 7 3
Jan 26 7 2

[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table.

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems

3.1 Criminal sentencing

Table 5 contains information on the types and lengths of criminal sentences resulting from investigations concluded by the Insolvency Service

Table 5: Criminal investigation sentencing, Great Britain, 2025/26 year to date

Period Criminal sentence: unpaid work (hours) Criminal sentence: confiscation orders value (£) Criminal sentence: rehabilitation orders Criminal sentence: imprisonment (incl. suspended) (months)
2025/26 YTD 4,900 1,557,359 0 1,006
Apr 25 1,400 0 0 206
May 25 420 0 0 154
Jun 25 925 0 0 70
Jul 25 180 0 0 163
Aug 25 400 0 0 22
Sep 25 0 59,578 0 131
Oct 25 700 [r] 172,219 0 84 [r]
Nov 25 300 [r] 1,066,144 0 31 [r]
Dec 25 275 62,112 0 96
Jan 26 300 197,307 0 49

[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table.

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems

4. Civil investigation outcomes

Table 6 contains information on compensation order outcomes granted either by the courts following an application by the Insolvency Service on behalf of the Secretary of State or settled by way of undertaking.

Table 6: Civil investigation outcomes, Great Britain, 2025/26 year to date

Period Civil compensation order and undertakings Civil compensation order and undertakings value (£)
2025/26 YTD 92 4,496,896
Apr 25 15 579,899
May 25 11 969,664
Jun 25 7 377,821
Jul 25 10 414,929
Aug 25 9 508,787
Sep 25 9 408,743
Oct 25 12 463,562
Nov 25 6 168,333
Dec 25 5 [r] 152,939 [r]
Jan 26 8 452,218

[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table. Values for compensation orders and undertakings may be revised upwards in future months due to the time taken for information to be recorded in the relevant administrative system.

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems

4.1 Companies wound up in the public interest

Table 7 contains information on companies wound up in the public interest following investigations by the Insolvency Service under s447(3) of the Companies Act 1985 .

Table 7: Companies wound up in the public interest, United Kingdom, 2025/26 year to date

Period Winding up orders as a result of live company investigation
2025/26 YTD 44
Apr 25 2
May 25 10
Jun 25 0
Jul 25 6
Aug 25 8
Sep 25 3
Oct 25 3
Nov 25 0
Dec 25 0
Jan 26 12

[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table.

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems

5. Enforcement work in progress

5.1 Targeted for investigation

Table 8 contains information on the volume of criminal and director disqualifications in Great Britain, live companies under s447(3) of the Companies Act 1985 in the United Kingdom and bankruptcy restriction cases targeted for investigation in England and Wales by the Insolvency Service.

Table 8: Enforcement work in progress, targeted for investigation, 2025/26 year to date

Period Cases targeted for criminal investigation Companies targeted for civil investigation Companies targeted for live investigation Bankruptcy restrictions targeted for investigation
2025/26 YTD 161 1755 220 69
Apr 25 23 [r] 165 11 15
May 25 6 192 21 9
Jun 25 12 [r] 194 30 7
Jul 25 14 [r] 160 42 12
Aug 25 15 [r] 158 33 7
Sep 25 21 [r] 200 9 9
Oct 25 26 [r] 172 28 9
Nov 25 21 [r] 222 14 0
Dec 25 12 [r] 151 14 0
Jan 26 11 141 18 1

[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table. The numbers of cases targeted for criminal investigation are provisional and the latest month is likely to be revised upwards in future publications.

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems

5.2 Under investigation

Table 9 contains information on the volume of investigations commenced but not yet concluded by the Insolvency Service for criminal, director disqualifications in Great Britain, live companies under s447(3) of the Companies Act 1985 in the United Kingdom and bankruptcy restriction cases in England and Wales.

Table 9: Enforcement work in progress, totals as at the end of each month, 2025/26

Period Cases under criminal investigation Company cases under civil disqualification investigation Live companies under investigation Bankruptcy restriction defendants under investigation
As at 30 April 2025 167 1,044 73 124
As at 31 May 2025 173 1,027 68 118
As at 30 June 2025 173 1,031 70 107
As at 31 July 2025 169 1,003 75 85
As at 31 August 2025 177 1,004 77 47
As at 30 September 2025 183 1,026 64 38
As at 31 October 2025 180 1,036 71 34
As at 31 November 2025 182 1,098 62 34
As at 31 December 2025 189 1,203 67 34
As at 31 January 2026 202 1,120 58 34

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems

6. Enforcement work concluded

Table 10 contains information on the volume of investigations concluded by the Insolvency Service for criminal, director disqualification in Great Britain, live companies under s447(3) of the Companies Act 1985 in the United Kingdom and bankruptcy restriction cases in England and Wales.

Table 10: Enforcement work investigation concluded, 2025/26 year to date

Period Criminal case investigations concluded Company case investigations for civil director disqualifications concluded Live company investigations under companies act 1985 concluded Bankruptcy restriction investigations concluded
2025/26 YTD 85 959 157 100
Apr 25 5 153 10 8
May 25 10 83 19 9
Jun 25 7 104 8 9
Jul 25 13 87 11 38
Aug 25 5 105 17 21
Sep 25 15 80 31 8
Oct 25 8 87 14 7
Nov 25 12 58 18 [x]
Dec 25 2 53 11 [x]
Jan 26 8 149 18 [x]

[r] indicates that the number has been revised from the previously published version of this table.

[x] indicates data not available.

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems