The Insolvency Service is set to assume responsibility for viable COVID-19 bounce back loan fraud investigations from the National Investigation Service (NATIS), following the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT)'s decision to end its NATIS contract. The transfer comes after a review showed NATIS secured only 14 convictions despite £38.5m in costs.

The Insolvency Service has updated their Dear Insolvency Practitioner (IP) guidance in April 2024. The update includes: an addition of Article 39 to section 6 on Companies House (new powers, updated forms, increased fees), an addition of Articles 120 (debt relief orders) and 121 (Financial Conduct Authority consultation) to section 13 on General and the hard copy publication of Issue 163 of Dear IP.

The Insolvency Service has updated three guidance documents within its director information hub, covering insolvency risk reduction, consequences of insolvency, and general insolvency information. The updates include content revisions to the risk reduction guidance, the addition of a new link to the consequences guidance and stakeholder-driven content updates to the general insolvency information.

The Insolvency Service has updated guidance on the effect of a disqualification order. The guidance highlights when an order or undertaking is in place, directors must resign from any positions they hold and that they are still legally responsible for any actions taken, following changes to the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.

The Insolvency Service has urged customers who paid the £90 debt relief order (DRO) application fee between 2016 and April 2024 but did not complete their application to claim a refund before the end of 2026. The fee was abolished in 2024 and around £450,000 remains available for refunds. The Insolvency Service said it contacted affected customers in March, May and November 2025 and again in January 2026. Customers can submit refund claims by email or post, with the Insolvency Service verifying claims against information held on its systems to prevent fraudulent claims.

The Insolvency Service has announced 11 sham companies, part of a group that fraudulently claimed UK-taxpayer funds and transferred the money to Hong Kong, have been wound-up. The Insolvency Service noted, that between them, the 11 companies claimed £500,000 through the Bounce Back Loan (BBL) Coronavirus (COVID-19) support scheme.

The Insolvency Service has announced that it has secured a winding-up order against Amey Finance Academy Ltd at the High Court.

The Insolvency Service has wound up an unregulated timeshare exit company, Timeshare Legals Limited, in the public interest after investigations. It was also revealed that client funds were transferred to a company in Spain with the same name, Timeshare Legals SL, and the same director, creating a lack of transparency.

The Insolvency Service has published updates to its Dear Insolvency Practitioner (IP) newsletter which contains guidance for insolvency practitioners and other interested stakeholders. The updates include the addition of Articles: 6. Conduct report case closure requests, 70. Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act: New requirements in relation to insolvency, 77. Authorisation to operate a local bank account, 83. Impact of the R v Palmer judgement on the office-holder’s duties under TULRCA and 122. Reconciliation of estate accounts. The Insolvency Service has also added their hard copy of Issues 164 and 165.

The official receiver (OR) is appointed as trustee in bankruptcy (trustee) or liquidator to deal with the administration and investigation of all bankruptcies and compulsory liquidations, including partnerships (ie liquidations resulting from a court order). The Secretary of State or the creditors may appoint an insolvency practitioner (IP) instead of the OR as trustee (for personal insolvencies) or as liquidator (for corporate insolvencies). The Insolvency Regulations 1994, SI 1994/2507, as amended (the Regulations) require the OR or IP (as appropriate) to pay into the Insolvency Services Account (ISA) monies received by them in the course of their administration of all bankruptcies and compulsory liquidations. Prior to 1 October 2011, funds could also be deposited into the ISA in voluntary liquidations, but now only unclaimed dividends in a voluntary liquidation may be paid into the ISA. Similarly, unclaimed dividends in an administration or an administrative receivership may be paid into the ISA once the company has been dissolved. The Regulations also provide for payment from the ISA of disbursements, expenses and distributions

The account held at the Bank of England by the Insolvency Service where money received through the realisation of bankruptcies and liquidations are paid.

The Insolvency Service has announced a 11-year directorship ban on Alan Bentley, former director of Bentley Global (UK) Limited, after the football betting firm entered administration owing investors £10m. The company collected £1.5m from investors between September 2019 and June 2020, despite recording no turnover and losses exceeding £5m. The disqualification prohibits Bentley from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. His brother Brian Bentley received a separate six-year directorship ban in 2024 for related misconduct. The Official Receiver is now overseeing the company's liquidation and asset identification.