Updates: Insolvency practitioner's handbook

2026

23 October 2026 published amendments

Section 9.2 has been updated as the form for accounting for tax during your period in office can now be found on GOV.UK, and to include instructions for completion.

14. Taking control of goods or distraint

Section 14.1 has been updated as from 2014 distraint is only valid for Northern Ireland, Scotland may recover debts by attachment, and in England and Wales, HMRC will now be ‘taking control of goods’ under Ministry of Justice legislation rather than taking distraint under its own legislation.

20 October 2026 published amendments

5. Returns

Information has been added about what you need to do to send a Corporation Tax (CT600) return to HMRC for a company in insolvency.

29. Corporation Tax

Section 29.5 has been updated to clarify that you must file your Corporation Tax Return online if the company is in a members' voluntary liquidation.

13 October 2026 published amendments

11. Cash accounting

Section 11.1 updated for clarity to define what cash accounting is. Outdated information removed at section 11.3 and replaced with current guidance for post-insolvency.

1 October 2026 published amendments

1. Overview

The guidance has been updated to reflect that the information is no longer specific to VAT.

2. Types of insolvency

Sections 2.1 and 2.2 have been updated to reflect that insolvency procedures apply to any business, not just those that are VAT registered, and office holders are liable to account for all tax in the normal way after being appointed.

5. Returns

Section 5.5.1 has been updated as the VAT default surcharge has been replaced by VAT late submission and payment penalties.

6. Cancel your VAT registration

Section 6.3 has been updated to confirm you should use form VAT7 to deregister a business.

10. Bad debt relief

Section 10.2 has been updated to include links to information on how bad debt relief can be claimed on a VAT return when an insolvent business remains VAT-registered, and a link to a new online for to reclaim VAT when VAT registration has been cancelled has been added.

15. Partial exemption

Section 15.2 has been updated to confirm how you need to apply to recover input tax on goods or services you supply. Information about changes made to the Capital Goods Scheme has been added into section 15.3.1.

17. Law of Property Act

Section 17.2 has been updated to clarify how to contact HMRC if you need get confirmation if an option to tax has been applied on land or buildings.

18. Transfer of a business as a going concern

This guidance has been updated to add links to relevant information on how office holders can apply the TOGC rules.

18 August 2026 published amendments

29. Corporation Tax

New section added.

30. Customs and customs duties

New section added.

3 August 2026 published amendments

7. Post VAT registration cancellation

Following an update to form VAT426, the request for invoices has been increased from claims over £20,000 to £30,000.

20 July 2026 published amendments

2. Types of insolvency

Information about proof of debt, statutory interest and use of Notices of Intended Dividends (NOIDs) in an members' voluntary liquidation has been moved to section 4.8 of this handbook.

4. Claims

Information about proof of debt for companies in members' voluntary liquidation (MVL), statutory interest and use of Notices of Intended Dividends (NOIDs) in an MVL has been added.

29. Registering as a tax adviser

New section added.