Guidance
Phoenix companies and the role of the Insolvency Service
This guide explains the role of the insolvency service in investigating phoenixism
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Details
Phoenixing, or phoenixism, are terms used to describe when businesses or directors trade successively through a series of limited companies which liquidate or dissolve leaving debts unpaid.
Phoenixism is wrong when individuals deliberately use it to avoid certain debts, or for fraudulent purposes.
Updates to this page
Published 7 October 2015
Last updated 16 April 2025
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Phoenix companies text replaced
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Improved information on re-using a company name
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First published.