This site provides general information only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice.

Important: This guidance relates to company insolvency in England and Wales.

Insolvency Guides for Company Directors

Plain-English guides covering company insolvency, creditor pressure, directors' duties, debt problems, and closure options in England and Wales.

37 guides shown across all categories.

Bailiff action against a company

What bailiff action can mean for an insolvent company and what directors should do next.

Creditor pressure
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

Can a company recover from insolvency?

When recovery is possible and when closure is more realistic.

Distress questions
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

Can directors be personally liable for company debts?

When directors may become personally liable in insolvency situations.

Director responsibilities
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

Can directors continue trading while insolvent?

Whether a company can continue trading when insolvency is likely.

Director responsibilities
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

Can HMRC close my company?

General

Can I strike off an insolvent company?

General

Can you buy a house after insolvency?

What insolvency means for future borrowing and buying a house.

Debt and consequences
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

Closing an insolvent company

A practical guide to closing an insolvent company in England and Wales.

Distress questions
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

Creditors' Voluntary Liquidation (CVL) Explained

How a CVL works, when it's the right option, and what directors should expect from the process.

Procedures
Last reviewed: 2026-02-15

Dealing with HMRC Debt

Options available to company directors who owe money to HMRC, including Time to Pay, restructuring, and formal insolvency routes.

Debt Options
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

Directors' Duties When Facing Insolvency

Your legal obligations as a director once your company is insolvent or approaching insolvency.

Directors
Last reviewed: 2026-02-15

Directors' Redundancy Claims

A guide for directors on how to claim redundancy when their company enters insolvency.

Directors
Last reviewed: 2026-02-15

Do directors have to pay company debts?

General

Does insolvency write off debt?

Which company debts may end with insolvency and what may still continue afterwards.

Debt and consequences
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

How do you close an insolvent company?

The main steps in closing an insolvent company properly.

Distress questions
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

How long does insolvency stay on your record?

How long insolvency remains on records and what that means afterwards.

Debt and consequences
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

How much debt is needed for insolvency?

Whether there is a minimum debt level for insolvency in England and Wales.

Debt and consequences
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

Strike off vs liquidation

The difference between strike off and liquidation for distressed companies.

Insolvency options
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

What are preferential payments before liquidation?

How preferential payments can create risk for directors before liquidation.

Director responsibilities
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What are the signs of insolvency?

A guide to the warning signs that a UK company may be insolvent.

Understanding insolvency
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What debts cannot be written off?

Which debts may survive insolvency and which do not.

Debt and consequences
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What happens if a company cannot pay HMRC?

What directors should know about HMRC arrears, enforcement, and insolvency risk.

Creditor pressure
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What happens if a company cannot pay its debts?

What directors should expect when a company cannot pay its debts in England and Wales.

Distress questions
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

What happens if a company gets a CCJ?

A guide to company CCJs and what they may lead to.

Creditor pressure
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What happens if I ignore a winding-up petition?

General

What is a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA)?

A guide to CVAs for companies seeking to restructure debt in England and Wales.

Insolvency options
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

What is a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation (CVL)?

How a CVL works for insolvent companies in England and Wales.

Insolvency options
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

What is a statutory demand?

What a statutory demand means and what directors should do next.

Creditor pressure
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What is a winding-up petition?

What a winding-up petition means for a UK company and its directors.

Creditor pressure
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What is company administration?

How administration works and when it may protect a business in England and Wales.

Insolvency options
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

What is compulsory liquidation?

A guide to court-driven liquidation following creditor action.

Insolvency options
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

What Is Insolvency?

An introduction to insolvency — what it means, when it applies, and the key tests used in the UK.

Basics
Last reviewed: 2026-02-15

What is the balance sheet test for insolvency?

How the balance sheet test works for UK companies.

Understanding insolvency
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What is the cashflow test for insolvency?

How the cashflow test works and what it means for directors.

Understanding insolvency
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

What is wrongful trading?

A guide to wrongful trading under UK insolvency law.

Director responsibilities
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

When is a company insolvent?

When a company becomes legally insolvent under UK law.

Understanding insolvency
Last reviewed: 2026-03-10

Who gets paid first in insolvency?

The general order of priority for creditor payments in insolvency.

Debt and consequences
Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

Not sure where to start?

Use the assessment for a clearer starting point, or get in touch if the situation is urgent.