SEND time bomb defused – or just delayed?

SEND time bomb defused – or just delayed?

by | Aug 11, 2026 | News

Six months ago, we warned that a £5bn funding time bomb was ticking beneath local government balance sheets as the cost of providing support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) continued to outstrip available funding. Since then,...
Covid loan abuse still dominates director bans

Covid loan abuse still dominates director bans

by | Aug 3, 2026 | News

More than five years after the first Covid-19 business support schemes closed, abuse of those loans remains the leading cause of director disqualifications. However, the Insolvency Service is also broadening its enforcement activity to tackle a wider range of director...
Universities face failure without a safety net

Universities face failure without a safety net

by | Jul 27, 2026 | News

Last November, we highlighted an anomaly in UK university financing: unlike Further Education colleges, they have no dedicated insolvency framework for what should happen when an institution can no longer meet its obligations. The Government has now considered the...
Has the ‘routine’ MVL had its day?

Has the ‘routine’ MVL had its day?

by | Jul 21, 2026 | News

For many owner-managed businesses, a Members’ Voluntary Liquidation (MVL) has long been regarded as the orderly final chapter of a successful company. The business has ceased trading or been sold, liabilities have been settled, shareholders wish to extract the...
Letter from London: Another New Dawn – July 2026

Letter from London: Another New Dawn – July 2026

by | Jul 16, 2026 | News

There is little to suggest from the speed and brutality of Keir Starmer’s demise and the termination of a sixth Prime Ministerial tenure since June 2016 (by contrast the five previous Prime Ministers spanned a period of over 37 years) that the UK electorate is...