The number of UK businesses in “critical financial distress” has risen by more than a third over the past year, as companies contend with a “slew of increased taxes” and the impact of the Middle East conflict, The Guardian reported. Hospitality and leisure firms have been faring particularly badly because of shaky consumer confidence, and rising taxes and staff costs, according to research by the restructuring company BTG. It said that the number of firms in financial distress had risen by 36.9% in the first three months of this year, compared with the same period in 2025.
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