The August 2026 company insolvency stats opens new window for England and Wales have been published by The Insolvency Service, together with related figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Company insolvency statistics for England and Wales – August 2026
After seasonal adjustment there were 1,946 company insolvencies in August 2026. This was 1% higher than in July 2026 and 3% lower than August 2025.
The change of 1% compared to July 2026 is less to the average absolute change of 7% between consecutive months over the past three years.
In August 2026 there were:
- 1,431 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs)
- 314 compulsory liquidations
- 182 administrations
- 19 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs)
- 0 receivership appointments
CVLs
In August 2026, CVLs accounted for 74% of all company insolvencies. The number of CVLs was 4% lower than in July 2026 and 9% lower than August 2025.
Compulsory liquidations
The number of compulsory liquidations was 8% higher than in July 2026 and 5% higher than in August 2025.
Administrations
The number of administrations was 44% higher than in July 2026 and 60% higher than in August 2025.
The average monthly number of administrations in the first eight months of 2026 was 36% higher than the 2025 monthly average. This was driven by higher numbers between March and August 2026, when more than 250 connected companies in the Real Estate sector entered administration.
CVAs
The number of CVAs was 14% lower than in July 2026 but 19% higher than in August 2025. Numbers remain low compared to historical levels. CVAs are not seasonally adjusted due to low volumes.
Receivership appointments
There was no receivership appointments in August 2026. Receivership appointments are now rare with only three being registered in the past 12 months ending August 2026.
Insolvency rate statistics for England and Wales – August 2026
The company liquidation rate in the 12 months to August 2026 was 50.1 per 10,000 companies on the effective register in England and Wales. This corresponds to 1 in 200 companies entering insolvency.
Company insolvencies by industry in England and Wales – August 2026
The three industries (in accordance with SIC 2007) that experienced the highest number of insolvencies in the 12 months to August 2026 were:
- construction (3,866 insolvencies, 17% of cases with industry captured)
- wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (3,395 insolvencies, 15% of cases with industry captured)
- accommodation and food service activities (3,201 insolvencies, 14% of cases with industry captured)
Company insolvency statistics for Scotland – August 2026
The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), Scotland’s Insolvency Service, administers company insolvency in Scotland.
In August 2026 there were 73 company insolvencies, which was 23% lower than the number in August 2025. Of the total company insolvencies in Scotland, there were:
- 30 CVLs
- 35 compulsory liquidations
- 8 administrations
- 0 CVAs
- 0 receivership appointments
Historically, compulsory liquidations were the most common type of company insolvency in Scotland. However, since April 2020, numbers of CVLs have remained higher than numbers of compulsory liquidations.
Company insolvency statistics for Northern Ireland – August 2026
In August 2026 there were 7 company insolvencies in Northern Ireland, which was 42% lower than in August 2025. Of the total company insolvencies, there were:
- 2 compulsory liquidations
- 7 CVLs
- 0 CVAs
- 0 administrations
- 0 receivership appointments
Please note, the figures for Northern Ireland are not seasonally-adjusted.
Where can I see insolvency notices in The Gazette?
The Gazette is the primary source of both corporate insolvency and personal insolvency information in the UK and publishes this information in the form of insolvency notices, allowing transparency for the public, the credit industry and concerned individuals to quantify risk and inform creditors. You can view all corporate and personal insolvency notices on The Gazette website.
The Gazette also provides a Data Service which provides timely official company, insolvency and deceased estates information to aid data driven decision-making. As the UK’s official public record, our authorised data can help your business with:
- KYC/due diligence
- risk management
- regulatory compliance
- business development
- business intelligence and strategy
For more information on The Gazette Data Service, contact the team on 01603 985949, email data@thegazette.co.uk or click on the link below.
Next insolvency statistics release
Figures for September 2026 will be released on 20 October 2026.
See also
Individual insolvency statistics – August 2026
Company insolvency statistics - July 2026
Find out more
Company Insolvency Statistics August 2026 opens new window (GOV.UK)
The Insolvency Service opens new window (GOV.UK)
Accountant in Bankruptcy opens new window (AiB)
Images
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Publication date
18 September 2026