Compulsory strike-off action has been discontinued: what it means

What does "discontinued" mean?

"Compulsory strike-off action has been discontinued" means the registrar has stopped the process of removing the company from the register, and the company carries on existing as before. It is the opposite outcome to dissolution: the threat that started with the first Gazette notice has been lifted.

Key facts:

• The entry appears in the company's filing history with the form type DISS40.
• Most often it follows the company filing what was missing, such as an overdue confirmation statement or accounts.
• After discontinuation the company status normally shows "Active" again, rather than "Active - Proposal to Strike off".
• It does not mean the company is solvent, paid its debts or settled any objection. It means only that the strike-off has stopped.
• The registrar can start a new strike-off later if the company stops filing again.

How the process starts and what the first notice means are covered in our guide to the first Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off. This page explains the entries that come after it.

The filing history entries, in order

Each stage of a compulsory strike-off leaves its own entry in the company's filing history on Companies House, so you can read the story of the process from the list of filings.

The legal basis is section 1000 of the Companies Act 2006. The registrar writes to a company it has reasonable cause to believe is not carrying on business or in operation; if there is no reply within 14 days, a second letter follows, and if that also goes unanswered for 14 days, the registrar may publish the first Gazette notice. The notice says the company will be struck off at the end of 2 months unless cause is shown to the contrary (s.1000(3)). Dissolution happens when the final notice is published (s.1000(6)).

A company does not pass through every row. A common short path is GAZ1 followed by DISS40 within weeks, with an accounts or confirmation statement filing between them.

Why is strike-off action discontinued?

Strike-off action is usually discontinued because the company has shown it is still in operation, and the simplest way to show that is to file the documents that were overdue. Companies House's own announcement when it restarted compulsory strike-off in October 2020 told companies in default to "file your outstanding documents or contact Companies House urgently", and listed outstanding documents with no reply to letters as a main trigger, alongside returned post and companies with no directors (GOV.UK).

The typical sequence looks like this in a filing history:

1. Confirmation statement or accounts not delivered by the deadline.
2. Two letters from Companies House go unanswered (they do not appear in the filing history).
3. GAZ1, first Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off.
4. The company files the missing confirmation statement (CS01) or accounts (AA).
5. DISS40, compulsory strike-off action has been discontinued, often within days of step 4.

A suspension can also end in a discontinued action. The register does not record which route applied, so read the filings around the DISS40 entry: if a CS01 or AA was filed just before it, the company caught up with its filings. For the earlier stages, see what "accounts overdue" means and late filing penalties.

What does "suspended" mean?

"Compulsory strike-off action has been suspended" means the strike-off is on hold, most often because a creditor, shareholder or other interested party has objected. The company has not been saved; it has been given more time.

What the suspension involves:

• 6 months. If an objection is accepted, the company will not be struck off for another 6 months (GOV.UK, object to a limited company being struck off).
• The objector must act. Companies House expects progress during those months; it says another invoice is unlikely to be enough, while starting legal proceedings may justify more time (GOV.UK).
• It ends. If the objector does not contact Companies House before the 6 months end and the company still meets the conditions, it will be struck off (GOV.UK).
• HMRC objects too. HMRC's internal Company Taxation Manual (COM42200) says HMRC has 60 calendar days from the first Gazette notice to object, that an objection suspends removal "for a maximum of six months" (190 days in its system), and that the objection must be renewed or action will resume.

The DISS16(SOAS) entry does not name who objected. A suspension tells you that someone with an interest in the company, often a creditor, wanted it kept on the register, which usually means money is owed. How to lodge an objection yourself is covered in how to object to a company being struck off.

Suspended or discontinued: the difference

Is it a red flag for a supplier or customer?

A single discontinued strike-off, followed by regular filings, is a weak warning sign: it usually means an owner-managed company missed a deadline and fixed it once Companies House wrote. A pattern of repeated notices is a much stronger one.

Signals worth weighing, from weakest to strongest:

1. One GAZ1 then DISS40, filings on time since. An administrative lapse. Note it and move on.
2. GAZ1 then DISS40 in two or more different years. The company only files when threatened. Expect late payment and poor record-keeping.
3. A DISS16(SOAS) suspension in the history. Someone with a claim objected. Ask whether that dispute was resolved.
4. A recent DISS40 but accounts or the confirmation statement already overdue again. The next strike-off may already be under way.
5. Currently "Active - Proposal to Strike off" with accounts more than 2 years overdue. The company has very likely stopped operating.

We have seen filing histories with three first Gazette notices in five years, each discontinued after a late filing. Every individual notice looks harmless; together they describe a company that does not manage its obligations until forced to. For a full checklist, see Companies House red flags and how to check a supplier before paying.

What our data shows

Strike-off proposals are common, and most of them involve overdue accounts. On 1 October 2026, 423,006 companies on the Companies House register had the status "Active - Proposal to Strike off", 7.6% of active plus proposed companies (strike-off study).

Our breakdown of their accounts deadlines on the same snapshot:

Source: UK Company Data, Companies House register snapshot of 1 October 2026; overdue means the next accounts due date was before 1 October 2026. Of the companies not overdue with accounts, 102,584 had filed accounts at least once; the rest had not reached their first deadline yet.

A proposal against a company whose accounts are up to date often has another cause: a missed confirmation statement, returned post, or a voluntary application by the directors, which the register file does not distinguish from compulsory action.

What to check after a discontinued strike-off

After you see a DISS40, check whether the company has stayed compliant and whether its finances justify the credit you plan to give. Five checks cover most cases:

1. Accounts filed and current. Confirm the next accounts due date is in the future and the last accounts are not a year or more old.
2. Confirmation statement current. A late confirmation statement is the commonest trigger for a new GAZ1.
3. Net assets trend. Compare the last two or three balance sheets. Falling or negative net assets after a strike-off scare is a worse combination than either alone; see comparing accounts over time.
4. How many GAZ1 entries. Count first Gazette notices across the whole filing history, not just the latest.
5. Status today. Check the company status has returned to Active and has not moved to liquidation or a new proposal.

To see the status, accounts due date and balance sheet history of a company in one place, search it on our accounts page.

General information, not legal advice.

Sources

1. Companies Act 2006, section 1000: power to strike off company not carrying on business or in operation, legislation.gov.uk, accessed 21 October 2026.
2. Object to a limited company being struck off: after you object, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
3. Companies House to resume the compulsory strike off process, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
4. COM42200: dealing with potential strike offs, HMRC Company Taxation Manual, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
5. Striking off or dissolving a limited company, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.

FAQ

What does compulsory strike-off action has been discontinued mean?

It means Companies House has stopped the process it started to remove the company from the register, so the company is not being dissolved. It usually follows the company filing an overdue confirmation statement or accounts after the first Gazette notice. The entry has form type DISS40. It says nothing about the company's finances, and a new strike-off can start if filings lapse again.

What does compulsory strike-off suspended mean?

It means the strike-off is on hold, most often because a creditor or other interested party objected after the first Gazette notice. If the objection is accepted, the company will not be struck off for another 6 months. The objector must make real progress in that time, such as starting legal action, or the strike-off will resume.

Is a discontinued strike-off a bad sign?

One discontinued strike-off followed by on-time filings is usually an administrative lapse. Repeated first Gazette notices, a suspension caused by an objection, or filings that are overdue again soon after a discontinuation are stronger warning signs. Check the full filing history, the accounts due date and the net assets trend before giving the company credit.

Can a company be struck off after the action was discontinued?

Yes. Discontinuation ends only that particular strike-off. If the company later fails to file its accounts or confirmation statement and does not answer Companies House letters, the registrar can start the process again with a new first Gazette notice. Some filing histories show several cycles of notice and discontinuation over a few years.

Sources: Companies House register and accounts data (Open Government Licence v3.0), legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK guidance where linked. This page is general information, not legal, tax or credit advice. Spotted an error? Email info@globalmindsetmarketing.co.uk.