The Insolvency Service has launched its investigation and enforcement strategy for 2026–31, significantly expanding its role in tackling economic crime. The strategy outlines three core objectives: enforcement of the UK insolvency framework, Companies Act 1985 enforcement and addressing company-facilitated economic crime. The Insolvency Service will implement artificial intelligence and advanced analytics while expanding its cryptoasset expertise to combat money laundering and sophisticated financial wrongdoing. The Service's recent performance demonstrates its effectiveness, with 77 criminal convictions, over 1,000 director disqualifications, and £4m in compensation secured in 2024–25.

An online version of the HR1 form—the form that must be submitted to the Redundancy Payments Service (RPS) acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when an employer plans to make 20 or more employees redundant at a single establishment within a 90-day period—has been launched by The Insolvency Service.

Law360, London: The Insolvency Service's evolution into a frontline economic crime enforcer provides the government with an agency with new powers to crack down on fraud, which gives Whitehall a powerful tool to use against unscrupulous directors.

The Insolvency Service has successfully pursued legal action against Christopher Cook, a disqualified director from Oxford, who continued to operate a company whilst banned. Cook has been ordered to repay £109,944 taken from Cupio Vehicle Management Ltd between 2016 and 2018, or face a 12-month prison sentence. This follows his conviction in March 2024 for acting as a director whilst disqualified, resulting in an 18-month Community Order and 150 hours of unpaid work. A subsequent confiscation hearing in December 2024 led to the repayment order. The case underscores the Insolvency Service's commitment to enforcing director disqualifications and recovering misappropriated funds.

The Insolvency Service has partnered with Crimestoppers to encourage reports of disqualified directors who continue to operate illegally, enabling members of the public to provide information 100% anonymously. The initiative aims to increase tip-offs about breaches such as acting as a director while disqualified or bankrupt, committing fraud, and repeatedly using companies to avoid paying debts. It is also intended to strengthen the Insolvency Service’s enforcement efforts and better protect the public, creditors, and legitimate businesses

The Insolvency Service has reported that Gerard Deegan and Catherine Deegan, a father and daughter duo who own two car parts businesses in Merseyside, were sentenced for fraud of £65,000, related to the Covid Bounce Back Loan (BBL) Scheme. Catherine received a ten-month suspended sentence and 150 hours unpaid work. Gerard was handed a 16-month suspended sentence, a 10-year directorship ban, and an 8-month nighttime curfew.

The Insolvency Service has reported that a Bristol builder has been sentenced to two years in prison for Bounce Back Loan (BBL) abuse after he grossly overstated the income from his construction firms to obtain two BBLs. His father also knowingly made a fraudulent application for the same business and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

The Insolvency Service has successfully prosecuted the director of Ikandy Wholesale Ltd, Raashid Khan, resulting in a four-year prison sentence for fraud, forgery, and insolvency offences. Khan, a Birmingham fireworks trader, forged multiple documents to evade a £75,000 payment for fireworks and to circumvent bank account restrictions. He fraudulently obtained a £50,000 Covid Bounce Back Loan and withdrew £62,158 after his company entered liquidation. Khan has been disqualified as a company director for 12 years and was convicted of using a false instrument, fraud in anticipation of winding-up, and fraud by false representation. This case underscores the Insolvency Service's commitment to maintaining the integrity of the insolvency regime and protecting public.

The Insolvency Service has published an update on the work being done to tackle coronavirus (COVID-19) loan abuse. According to the Insolvency Service's Annual Report and Accounts for 2023-24, more than 830 directors have been banned following abuse of coronavirus loans, steps have been taken to recover almost £3m of taxpayers' money and 22 criminal prosecutions were carried out. The report also confirms that work will continue in the 2024-2025 period

The Insolvency Service has published its annual review of the Insolvency Practitioner Regulation for 2024, outlining significant regulatory and legislative changes. Among the key updates are the new Insolvency Practitioners (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/1090), which has increased the general penalty sum to £750,000 and raised the recognised professional bodies levy to £610. The report also notes the cessation of regulation by Chartered Accountants Ireland, with the remaining three recognised professional bodies now supervising 1,504 practitioners as of 1 January 2025. Additionally, the review emphasises enhanced monitoring of individual voluntary arrangements, featuring 364 routine and 13 targeted visits and documents a 13% reduction in complaints received by the Complaints Gateway compared to 2023.

The Insolvency Service has published its 2025–26 Annual Report and Accounts, stating that it returned £42.7 million to creditors and the wider economy while increasing enforcement activity and supporting individuals and businesses experiencing financial difficulty. The agency handled 11,668 insolvency cases, processed 70,633 redundancy payments, approved 48,344 Debt Relief Orders and granted 80,542 Breathing Space protections. Enforcement activity included the disqualification of 1,153 directors for misconduct, 185 live company investigations and 163 criminal prosecutions, alongside increased action against economic crime, money laundering and abusive phoenix companies through enhanced powers and closer collaboration with Companies House. The report also highlights continued investment in modernising services, including a new digital Debt Relief Order service, artificial intelligence, automation and a new case management system, and notes a £25 million government investment to strengthen action against abusive phoenixism and director misconduct.

The Insolvency Service has updated its enforcement outcomes management information tables with data for April 2024. The data shows that there were 93 director disqualifications and 12 bankruptcy and debt relief restrictions following enforcement action by the Insolvency Service.