The May 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 – May 2026
After seasonal adjustment there were 1,868 company insolvencies in May 2026. This was 10% lower than in April 2026 and 16% lower than May 2025.
The decrease of 10% compared to April 2026 is similar to the average absolute change of 9% between consecutive months over the past three years.
In May 2026 there were:
- 1,423 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs)
- 285 compulsory liquidations
- 135 administrations
- 25 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs)
- 0 receivership appointments
CVLs
In May 2026, CVLs accounted for 76% of all company insolvencies. The number of CVLs was 5% lower than April 2026 and 18% lower than May 2025.
Compulsory liquidations
The number of compulsory liquidations was 26% lower than in April 2026 and 17% lower than in May 2025.
Administrations
The number of administrations was 24% lower than in April 2026 and 5% lower than in May 2025.
CVAs
The number of CVAs was 25% higher than in April 2026 and 79% higher than in May 2025. The average level of CVAs in the first five months of 2026 was higher than the annual monthly average since 2021. However, numbers remain low compared to historical levels. CVAs are not seasonally adjusted due to low volumes.
Receivership appointments
There was no receivership appointments in May 2026. Receivership appointments are now rare with only three being registered in the past 12 months ending May 2026.
Insolvency rate statistics for England and Wales – May 2026
The company liquidation rate in the 12 months to May 2026 was 50.9 per 10,000 companies on the effective register in England and Wales. This corresponds to 1 in 196 companies entering insolvency.
Company insolvencies by industry in England and Wales – May 2026
The three industries (in accordance with SIC 2007) that experienced the highest number of insolvencies in the 12 months to May 2026 were:
- construction (3,803 insolvencies, 17% of cases with industry captured)
- wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (3,527 insolvencies, 15% of cases with industry captured)
- accommodation and food service activities (3,296 insolvencies, 14% of cases with industry captured)
Company insolvency statistics for Scotland – May 2026
The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), Scotland’s Insolvency Service, administers company insolvency in Scotland.
In May 2026 there were 100 company insolvencies, which was 25% lower than the number in May 2025. Of the total company insolvencies in Scotland, there were:
- 51 CVLs
- 40 compulsory liquidations
- 7 administrations
- 2 CVAs
- 0 receivership appointments
Historically, compulsory liquidations were the most common type of company insolvency in Scotland. However, since May 2020, numbers of CVLs have remained higher than numbers of compulsory liquidations.
Company insolvency statistics for Northern Ireland – May 2026
In May 2026 there were 30 company insolvencies in Northern Ireland, which was 43% lower than in May 2025. Of the total company insolvencies, there were:
- 15 compulsory liquidations
- 15 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 June 2026 will be released on 17 July 2026.
See also
Individual insolvency statistics – May 2026
Company insolvency statistics - April 2026
Find out more
Company Insolvency Statistics May 2026 opens new window (GOV.UK)
The Insolvency Service opens new window (GOV.UK)
Accountant in Bankruptcy opens new window (AiB)
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Publication date
23 June 2026