Research & Reports

Business Insolvency Statistics

Company insolvency figures, updated October 2026.

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Chapter 1

Overview

UK business insolvencies increased sharply in October 2026, following a smaller rise in September, highlighting the continued volatility facing businesses across the UK.

A total of 2,520 UK businesses entered insolvency across the UK and Northern Ireland in October, a 14.29% increase compared with September and a 0.12% increase year-on-year compared with October 2025.

Despite the sharp monthly rise, the year-to-date picture remains relatively stable. 23,465 businesses entered insolvency between January and October 2026, compared with 23,865 over the equivalent period in 2025, representing an almost 2% decrease.

However, the broader picture remains one of significant pressure. Insolvency levels continue to be elevated across several major sectors, while the factors contributing to financial distress, including rising costs, borrowing pressures, supply chain disruption, geopolitical tensions and weak consumer demand, show no signs of easing. Many businesses simply do not have the capacity to absorb further economic shocks.

The challenges facing consumer-facing businesses and the UK high street also remain clear, with well-known brands including TGJones, GAME, Quiz and The Revel Collective – owner of Revolution, Revolución de Cuba, Peach Pubs and Founders & Co. – having entered administration this year. Most recently, Poundland filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.

October at a glance:

  • Total Insolvencies: 2,520 across the UK and Northern Ireland.
  • Month-over-Month Change: +14.29% vs. September 2026
  • Year-on-Year Change: +0.12% vs. October 2025
  • Year-to-Date Change: -1.68% vs. 2025
  • Sector Impact: Construction continues to be the most affected sector, with 406 insolvencies

If you want to re-use this data, please contact press@creditsafeuk.com

Chapter 1

Insolvencies by Month

Total number of insolvencies by month.

A total of 2,520 businesses across the UK and Northern Ireland entered insolvency in October 2026, an increase of 14.29% compared with September and 0.12% compared with October 2025.

Despite the sharp monthly increase, insolvencies remain 1.68% lower year-to-date than over the equivalent period in 2025, suggesting the overall picture for 2026 remains relatively stable. However, this stability is not being felt equally across all businesses, with several sectors continuing to experience significant financial pressure such as Construction, Wholesale and Retail, and Accommodation and Food Services.

Many companies continue to grapple with persistent cost pressures, including wage bills, borrowing costs and supply chain disruption. Ongoing geopolitical tensions are also contributing to uncertainty in the market, further exacerbating risk for businesses already operating on thin margins.

To re-use this data, contact: press@creditsafeuk.com

Chapter 1

Insolvencies by Sector

The total number of insolvencies by sector YTD.

Construction remained the UK's hardest-hit sector in October, with 406 firms entering insolvency, accounting for around 16% of all business failures during the month.

Other sectors experiencing high levels of insolvency included Wholesale and Retail, which recorded 316 insolvencies, and Accommodation and Food Services, which saw 323. Together, these two sectors accounted for approximately 25% of all insolvencies during October.

The year-to-date data also reveals significant differences between sectors. Real Estate has experienced a particularly notable increase compared with the same period last year, rising by 22%, while Financial and Insurance Activities recorded an even larger increase of almost 27%.

In contrast, sectors including Wholesale and Retail (-9.59%), Manufacturing (-11.66%), Administrative and Support Services (-7.57%), and Other Services (-7.85%) have recorded fewer insolvencies year-to-date than during the equivalent period in 2025.

The table below provides a year-to-date (January–October 2026) breakdown of insolvencies by sector, comparing trends over the past five years to highlight sector-specific shifts.

Chapter 1

Q3 2026 Analysis

Insolvency levels fluctuated throughout the quarter, with a sharp increase in July followed by a significant decline in August and a moderate increase in September. Even so, the year-to-date number of insolvencies remains slightly below the equivalent period in 2025.

Construction remained the sector with the highest number of insolvencies, while Wholesale and Retail and Accommodation and Food Services also continued to account for a significant proportion of business failures.

The sector data also highlights a differenec in performance across the economy. While insolvencies have fallen year-to-date in areas including Wholesale and Retail (-9.46%), Manufacturing (-11.72%) and Administrative and Support Service Activities (-7.49%), other sectors have moved in the opposite direction. Financial and Insurance Activities increased by 26.18% year-to-date, while Real Estate increased by 21.63% compared with the equivalent period in 2025.

Overall, the first nine months of 2026 suggest that insolvency pressures remain significant but are not uniform across the economy. Total insolvencies are 1.89% lower year-to-date, but September's increase demonstrates that some businesses remain disproportionately exposed to challenging and changeable trading conditions. Businesses should take note of the insolvency activity of their industry to better understand ther position.

 

Want to explore the data for yourself?

Whether you want to understand the impact of Insolvencies across a group of sectors or the likelihood of an individual company becoming insolvent, you can find all of this data and more within the Creditsafe platform.

Chapter 1

Methodology

Creditsafe uses the following statuses to determine if a company has become insolvent and will count insolvency based on its first insolvency trigger from one of the statuses below:

  • In Liquidation.
  • Administrator Appointed.
  • Appointment of Liquidator.
  • Meeting of Creditors.
  • In Administration.
  • In Receivership.
  • Administrative Receiver Appointed.
  • Administration Order.
  • The company is wound-up.