Today’s insolvency statistics contained few surprises, creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs) have continued to outnumber other types of company insolvencies by some margin and have distorted the overall picture, which is that (putting aside CVLs where directors/shareholders elect to pull the plug themselves on a company’s survival) figures for other types of company insolvencies remain below pre-pandemic figures.

For those who missed it the Insolvency Service published an excellent research report at the end of June which focuses on the treatment of landlords in company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). This was against the backdrop of a large number of "landlord" CVAs in recent years – particularly in the retail and casual dining sectors – where landlords have often complained that they have been unfairly treated compared to other compromised creditors. The report concludes that landlords are, broadly speaking, equitably treated compared to other classes of unsecured creditors.

The Insolvency Service has published an interim report which evaluates three permanent changes to the insolvency regime as introduced by The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA): restructuring plans; the standalone moratorium and the restriction on contractual termination rights (so-called ipso facto clauses). The takeaway messages are as follows:

The High Court has held that disclosure of debts and undertakings given to the Circuit Court in seeking a protective certificate for a personal insolvency arrangement can be relied on in other proceedings.

Background

The McLaughlins were engaged in a long running saga of litigation with Bank of Scotland plc (“BOS”) and, after a loan sale, Ennis Property Finance Limited (“Ennis”).

In 2016 they issued High Court proceedings against Ennis and Tom Kavanagh (the “Plenary Proceedings”).

The recent company insolvency statistics for Q1 2022 show the number of company insolvencies is continuing to increase. The figures show creditors’ voluntary liquidations as being the most common procedure followed by compulsory liquidations – the number of which is more than twice as high as in the previous quarter, although still below pre-pandemic levels.

The standalone moratorium has been a seldom used restructuring tool since its introduction under the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020.

The shackles preventing stakeholders from putting pressure on companies will soon be firmly off as winding up petition protections and rental support end, warn Matthew Padian and Lucy Trott.

Those of us who dabble in the insolvency world keep a keen lookout for the Insolvency Service’s insolvency statistics whenever they appear.

As we enter a new era of ‘living with Covid’, new financial woes accompany new freedoms for many. Inflation is now at a 30-year high, with income failing to keep pace with the cost of living and interest rates rising twice in the last 4 months. A number of retailers, including Next, B&M and Greggs, have warned that soaring costs cannot be fully absorbed and will lead to price rises for consumers in 2022.

So, what is going on for retailers post-pandemic? And what steps can smaller, boutique brands take to mitigate the risks to their businesses going forward?

The Insolvency Service published its latest company insolvency statistics at the end of January, reporting both on Q4 2021 as well as 2021 as a whole.

The statistics can be accessed here and we highlight some of the key takeaways below.

1. Q4 2021 Company insolvency statistics

Some of the UK Government’s COVID-19 supports for businesses came to an end, or started to taper off, on 30 September 2021. The UK Insolvency service published statistics yesterday showing that the number of corporate insolvencies has returned to pre-pandemic levels. There is no reason to believe that the Irish position will be substantially different when supports come to an end.

What happened when COVID-19 struck?