Will the VAT change lead to more insolvencies in the private schools’ sector? (Updated August 2025)

What is the role of Insolvency Practitioners in private schools’ insolvencies? The Government’s plan to levy VAT at the full 20% rate on all c.2,600 private schools in the UK came into force on 1st January 2025. There has been much debate across the political and educational spectrum as to the likely outcomes for this […]
Can Main Market and AIM listed PLCs facing insolvency be rescued and relisted?

How did we use Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVAs) to restore two PLCs to the stock market? We recently advised two London Stock Exchange listed companies – Electric Guitar PLC and Curzon Energy PLC – on restructuring their balance sheets via Company Voluntary Arrangements. Both were facing insolvency, but our specialist input enabled their restoration to […]
Overdrawn Directors’ Loan Accounts: why do they matter in insolvency?

Overdrawn Directors’ Loan Accounts in insolvency – the consequences for directors could be severe. Is your company insolvent? Could it be heading towards liquidation? Overdrawn Directors’ Loan AccountS (DLA) are not just a technical detail. When a Company enters an insolvency process a DLA becomes due and payable and is a legal debt that you, […]
What are the four key sins directors must avoid when their company is insolvent?

Facing financial difficulty? Here’s what every company director needs to know When a business begins to struggle, directors often find themselves under immense pressure – firefighting urgent problems while hoping for a recovery. It’s during these moments that key responsibilities shift, often without directors realising. This article explains what happens when a company becomes insolvent, […]
1 year anniversary of B&C Associates merging with Antony Batty & Company, Insolvency Practitioners

What are we celebrating most one year after merging with Antony Batty & Company? It was on 1 June 2024 that Nitin Joshi and his business partner, Insolvency Practitioner Jeff Brenner, merged their firm, B&C Associates with Antony Batty & Co (ABc), Insolvency Practitioners and business turnaround specialists. In this article, Nitin, Jeff and Antony Batty […]
Difficult times for Pubs, Restaurants & Hotels. How can Insolvency Practitioners help?

The pub industry is facing long-term decline. Over 400 pubs closed in England & Wales in 2024 – total numbers fell below 39,000 for the first time – the most since 2021 during the COVID pandemic. Rising National Insurance contributions, increased wages, and reduced business rate relief from April 2025 will further strain the sector. […]
Mental Health and Insolvency – Elaine Wilkins from our Bournemouth Office is now a Mental Health First Aider for 3 more years

Mental Health and Insolvency
Elaine Wilkins from our Bournemouth Office is now a Mental Health First Aider, and understands the stress and strain that insolvency can cause.
Family Business Insolvency: when relationships and risk collide

Family businesses are a cornerstone of the UK economy. They outnumber all other private sector firms, employ millions, and contribute significantly to national output. But when a family-run company faces financial difficulty, the challenges go far beyond the balance sheet, with impacts on relationships, succession plans, and even personal assets. In this article, we look […]
Redundancy Pay – Did you know employees can get paid if the Company you work for goes out of business? But the Redundancy Payments Service is tightening up on claims from directors

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.
Struggling businesses should think twice about taking out loans for survival, especially where Personal Guarantees (“PG’s”) are involved

The increasing challenge of securing business finance – and the potential risks of using Alternative Lenders The ability for small businesses to secure finance has become significantly more challenging in recent years. According to a recent analysis by Funding Xchange, businesses seeking loans are now carrying more than double the debt-to-turnover ratio compared to pre-pandemic […]