Company insolvencies, January 2025
Monthly tables and commentary on the numbers, rates and sectors of companies that have entered formal insolvency procedures in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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Main messages for England and Wales
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After seasonal adjustment, the number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales was 1,971 in January 2025, 6% higher than in December 2024 (1,852) and 11% higher than the same month in the previous year (1,780 in January 2024). Company insolvencies over the past year have been slightly lower than in 2023, which saw a 30-year high annual number, but have remained high relative to historical levels.
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Company insolvencies in January 2025 consisted of 269 compulsory liquidations, 1,546 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 142 administrations and 14 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). There were no receivership appointments. CVL and administration numbers were higher than in December 2024, while compulsory liquidations and CVAs were lower.
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One in 190 companies on the Companies House effective register (at a rate of 52.6 per 10,000 companies) entered insolvency between 1 February 2024 and 31 January 2025. This was a decrease from the 57.1 per 10,000 companies that entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 31 January 2024. Insolvency rates are calculated on a 12-month rolling basis as a proportion of the total number of companies on the effective register. The 12-month rolling rates show longer term trends and reduce the volatility associated with estimates based on single months. Rates in this month’s publication have been calculated based on the register size in September 2024 and should therefore be treated as estimates that may be revised in the future. See Incorporated companies in the UK October to December 2024 - Official statistics announcement - GOV.UK for more information.
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While the insolvency rate has increased since the lows seen in 2020 and 2021, it remains much lower than the peak of 113.1 per 10,000 companies seen during the 2008-09 recession. This is because the number of companies on the effective register has more than doubled over this period.