Director redundancy claims: what evidence the RPS now expects and why preparation matters
In February 2026 we published an update on the increasing scrutiny being applied to director redundancy claims at insolvency by the Redundancy Payments Service (RPS). That article focused on recent tribunal decisions, including our own case where directors’ claims were rejected despite PAYE treatment and written contracts. This companion piece, with insights from specialist adviser […]
Hospitality faces new cost squeezes as April 2026 changes fast approach
Hospitality enters April 2026 in a fragile position. Insolvencies in pubs, restaurants, bars and hotels remain well above pre‑pandemic levels, and the sector is about to absorb another round of hospitality cost increases announced in the Autumn Budget 2025. These include further increases in wage costs, higher employer National Insurance contributions and changes to business […]
Trade credit and insolvency. A personal history of how one causes the other
Trade credit and insolvency are inextricably linked. Often, directors of small businesses are shocked to see what is in front of them when they reach the abyss. Whilst their minds are fixated with creditor pressure, which has its own traction like a snowball down a hill, attention is temporarily lost on what caused the company’s […]
Redundancy Pay at Insolvency: Evidence that Directors’ Claims are facing increased scrutiny by the Redundancy Payments Service
Redundancy Pay – Did you know the Government will pay if the Company you work for goes out of business?
We can talk to employees of businesses facing financial difficulties to give them practical help and guidance.
Overdrawn Directors’ Loan Account – why they are still catching directors out in 2026
Many directors only discover they have an overdrawn Directors’ Loan Account when their accountant raises it or when the company starts to struggle financially. What felt like informal drawings or temporary withdrawals can quickly turn into a personal debt that must be repaid, especially if the company enters Liquidation or Administration. At Antony Batty & […]
What a Director needs to know if a company is insolvent
When a company becomes insolvent or is close to it, directors face a set of legal duties and personal risks that are very different from normal trading. This article explains how to recognise when a company is insolvent or it is likely, what duties change, what actions can increase or reduce personal exposure, and what […]
Will the VAT change lead to more insolvencies in the private schools’ sector? (Updated January 2026)
This article was originally published in January 2025 and updated in August 2025. A further update has now been added in January 2026 following new reporting on the continued rise in private school insolvency and closures since the introduction of VAT on fees. The new information further demonstrates the financial pressures facing the sector and […]
Insolvency predictions for 2026 show that Zombie Companies that have struggled the last few years are facing insolvency in larger numbers than ever
How can Insolvency Practitioners help Zombie firms in the UK? Many UK businesses are finding it hard to survive in early 2026. Rising interest rates, energy costs and wage pressures are squeezing margins across sectors. But the focus here is on a specific group: Zombie firms. This article explains what Zombie firms are, how many […]
Charity Insolvency: What happens in Administration and Insolvent Liquidations?
A local financial journalist asked us recently to provide him with some information on charity insolvency, as source material for an article he was writing on the subject. It is an area we have a great deal of experience in, so we were happy to oblige. This article is a more detailed version. Charities are […]
Don’t bin the tax letters
Why HMRC tax debt is a director’s blind spot – and a trigger for retrospective scrutiny When companies face cash flow pressure, it’s tempting to prioritise suppliers and defer tax. But as Nitin Joshi, Partner at Antony Batty & Company, explains, that’s a dangerous game. His message to directors: don’t ignore the brown envelopes. Here’s […]
