On March 28, 2020^[1], the UK Government announced that it will introduce new legislation extending the UK’s existing restructuring and insolvency laws to include:

The UK Government announced on Saturday 28 March 2020 that it intends to amend UK insolvency law to suspend the offence of wrongful trading by directors of UK companies and to give UK companies the breathing space to allow them to keep trading while they explore options for rescue.

Background

Current insolvency rules stipulate that directors of limited liability companies can become personally liable for business debts if they continue to trade when uncertain about whether their businesses can continue to meet their debts. These rules will be suspended.

Over the weekend, the Business Secretary announced that UK Insolvency Laws will be changed.

The changes will give businesses “extra time to weather the storm” and give comfort to directors who, challenged with trading through a difficult cash flow period, will not face claims for wrongful trading.

Relaxation of wrongful trading provisions

The proposed measures alleviate concerns that borrowing additional funds offered by the Government could place a director at risk of personal liability.

The changes?

On Saturday, during the Government’s daily Coronavirus update, it was announced that it would shortly legislate to:

The UK Government has announced changes to the existing UK insolvency laws in order to ease pressure on companies and give them breathing space to trade through the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Saturday 28 March, Secretary of State for the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, announced a proposal for the urgent reforms to UK insolvency law, designed to protect companies and their directors during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Wrongful Trading (section 214 Insolvency Act 1986)

It was announced that there would be a temporary suspension of section 214 Insolvency Act 1986 in relation to wrongful trading.

When is a director a director? At first glance this may appear to be a facile question. Why would individuals who only carry the title “director” fall within this group? Surely a director must be someone who has been formally appointed as a director?

Well, yes and no. For instance, someone who is involved in the day to day management of a business, but has not been formally appointed as a director or someone who tells the board what to do may also be considered to be a director for the purposes of company law.

This client alert summarises the recent announcement by the UK government concerning reforms to UK insolvency law to help struggling businesses, being:

The government has responded to intense pressure from the restructuring and insolvency community by announcing measures to 'protect companies hit by COVID-19'. Insolvency law will be amended 'to give companies breathing space and keep trading while they explore options for rescue'.

Fraser Turner Limited v PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and others [2019] EWCA Civ 1290

The Court of Appeal has upheld a decision striking out claims against administrators which alleged that they owed a duty to a specific creditor and were guilty of misfeasance.

Fraser Turner Limited (FT) was party to an agreement (“Royalty Agreement”) with London Mining plc (“LM”) and London Mining Company Ltd (“LMCL”) which provided for FT to receive a royalty in respect of iron ore produced at the Marampa mine. LMCL was a wholly owned subsidiary of LM.