How many UK companies are being struck off? (October 2026)
Key figures
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Companies with a proposal to strike off | 423,006 |
| Share of active plus proposed companies | 7.6% |
| Of these, also overdue with accounts | 244,674 (58%) |
| Of these, never filed any accounts | 108,752 (26%) |
| Registered at the Companies House default address | 22,977 |
| Companies in liquidation (for comparison) | 108,330 |
Snapshot: Companies House register, 1 October 2026. "Proposal to strike off" covers both compulsory strike-off started by the registrar (usually after missed filings) and voluntary strike-off applied for by the directors. The register file does not say which. What happens during the process is explained in first Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off.
By industry
Two-digit SIC division of the first declared activity, divisions with more than 20,000 companies. Rate = companies under a strike-off proposal as a share of active plus proposed companies.
| Highest rates | Companies | Strike-off rate |
|---|---|---|
| 56 Food and beverage service (restaurants, takeaways, cafes) | 239,900 | 15.5% |
| 49 Land transport (taxis, couriers, haulage) | 103,819 | 14.7% |
| 42 Civil engineering | 29,300 | 13.1% |
| 52 Warehousing and transport support | 30,327 | 12.1% |
| 80 Security and investigation | 20,908 | 11.7% |
| 46 Wholesale trade | 186,727 | 11.0% |
| Lowest rates | Companies | Strike-off rate |
|---|---|---|
| 98 Private households | 127,210 | 1.6% |
| 68 Real estate | 628,509 | 3.4% |
| 64 Financial services, incl. holding companies | 196,096 | 3.4% |
| 01 Crop and animal production | 34,230 | 4.1% |
| 94 Membership organisations | 21,120 | 4.6% |
| 69 Legal and accounting | 79,366 | 4.9% |
Property and holding companies sit at the bottom: they hold assets rather than trade, so they rarely walk away from the company.
By year of incorporation
| Incorporated | Under strike-off proposal | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 28,520 | 13.6% |
| 2018 | 40,417 | 16.9% |
| 2019 | 55,098 | 19.7% |
| 2020 | 21,765 | 8.1% |
| 2021 | 15,698 | 5.5% |
| 2022 | 16,967 | 5.3% |
| 2023 | 24,664 | 6.1% |
| 2024 | 33,743 | 7.2% |
| 2025 | 71,782 | 10.0% |
Companies formed in 2019 are the most likely to be on the way out: one in five surviving 2019 companies is under a strike-off proposal, against one in eighteen from 2021. The 2025 cohort already stands at 10%, although its first accounts are not yet due: these are likely voluntary closures by their owners or companies flagged by the registrar for other reasons, such as a missed first confirmation statement. We report the pattern; the register does not record why each company is being struck off.
The default address effect
Companies House can move a company's registered office to its default address, PO Box 4385, Cardiff CF14 8LH, when the company has no right to use the address it gave. On 1 October 2026, 27,748 companies were registered at that address and 22,977 of them (83%) were under a proposal to strike off. This is why the CF postcode area shows a strike-off rate of 33.8%; without the default address, the rate for CF postcodes is 8.2%, close to the national level.
A registered office at CF14 8LH is one of the strongest single warning signs you can find on the register.
By postcode area
Areas with more than 30,000 active plus proposed companies, excluding the default address effect described above.
| Highest rates | Rate | Lowest rates | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| DN (Doncaster) | 10.6% | EX (Exeter) | 5.0% |
| L (Liverpool) | 10.1% | YO (York) | 5.1% |
| UB (Southall) | 10.0% | GL (Gloucester) | 5.3% |
| RM (Romford) | 10.0% | GU (Guildford) | 5.3% |
| LU (Luton) | 9.9% | OX (Oxford) | 5.5% |
What it means when you check a company
A proposal to strike off does not mean the company is gone. Many proposals are suspended after the company files what it owed or a creditor objects, and some companies trade on while under the proposal. But if a supplier or customer shows this status, you should not extend credit until you know why. A creditor owed money can object to the strike-off; the guide on first Gazette notices explains how.
To check a company's status, use our free company check. To be told when a company on your list gets a strike-off proposal, add it to a watchlist through the API or MCP server.
Methodology
Source: Companies House Free Company Data Product (BasicCompanyData), snapshot of 1 October 2026. Population: companies with status "Active" (5,166,057) or "Active - Proposal to Strike off" (423,006). Rates use that combined population. Industry: first SIC code. Region: postcode area of the registered office. Year: incorporation date; dissolved companies are not in the file, so each year's cohort is its survivors. Default address: postcode CF14 8LH. Computed by Global Mindset Marketing Ltd. You may reuse these figures with a link to this page. See also methodology.
FAQ
How many UK companies are being struck off?
423,006 companies had the status "Active - Proposal to Strike off" on 1 October 2026, 7.6% of companies that are active or under a proposal. Most compulsory strike-offs follow missed accounts or confirmation statements.
Which industries have the most companies being struck off?
Restaurants, takeaways and cafes (SIC 56, 15.5%) and land transport such as taxis and couriers (SIC 49, 14.7%). Real estate and holding companies have the lowest rates, around 3.4%.
What does PO Box 4385 Cardiff CF14 8LH mean on a company record?
It is the Companies House default address. A company is moved there when it has no right to use its registered office address. 83% of companies at that address were under a proposal to strike off on 1 October 2026.
Does a proposal to strike off mean the company has closed?
No. The company still exists until it is dissolved, which happens no earlier than two months after the first Gazette notice. The proposal can be suspended if the company files missing documents or someone objects.
Check any UK company in seconds. Register details and the latest balance sheet figures for 5.6 million companies, free. Full financial history since 2008 as a one-off pack or through the API.
Search companies