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Insolvency Service enforcement outcomes 2024-25

Updated 8 November 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

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, 2024/25 year to date

Period Number Mean length (years)
2024/25 614 8.2
Apr 24 97 7.8
May 24 104 8.6
Jun 24 93 8.0
Jul 24 100 8.9
Aug 24 70 [r] 8.2
Sep 24 82 8.4
Oct 24 68 7.4

[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, 2024/25 year to date

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
2024/25 571 8 435 9.3
Apr 24 92 1 70 8.7
May 24 97 2 81 9.5
Jun 24 87 0 57 9.4
Jul 24 95 2 72 9.8
Aug 24 62 [r] 2 46 [r] 9.8
Sep 24 74 1 62 9.3
Oct 24 64 0 47 8.5

[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, 2024/25 year to date

Period Number Mean length (years) COVID-19 financial support scheme abuse allegations Mean length (years) for COVID-19 allegations
2024/25 79 8.1 56 9.1
Apr 24 14 8.2 10 8.9
May 24 10 8.6 9 9.1
Jun 24 13 7.7 11 8.3
Jul 24 13 9.2 11 9.6
Aug 24 12 7.9 7 10.9
Sep 24 9 [r] 7.0 [r] 5 [r] 8.4 [r]
Oct 24 8 7.8 3 8.7

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

Source: Insolvency Service administrative systems