Retail and wholesale companies in liquidation and administration

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out if a retailer or wholesaler has gone into liquidation or administration?

Search the company by name or number from the home page. If it has entered liquidation, administration or a CVA in the last two years it has a page here showing the date, the appointed practitioner and links to the official Gazette notice and Companies House record. For a definitive check, see how to check if a company is insolvent.

What is the difference between liquidation and administration?

Liquidation closes a company for good and distributes its assets to creditors; administration puts a licensed administrator in control to rescue the business or sell it as a going concern. Read administration vs liquidation.

How quickly do new retail & wholesale insolvencies appear here?

Notices are indexed from The Gazette and Companies House within about an hour of publication during UK business hours, so a company that appointed a liquidator this morning is usually listed by lunchtime.

Does the list include retail and wholesale companies facing a winding-up petition?

Not yet. The list records procedures that have taken effect — liquidations (including winding-up orders), administrations and CVAs. Petitions are advertised separately in The Gazette; see how to read a Gazette insolvency notice.