Most of the 156,515 companies struck off the UK register in Q2 2026 did not fail in any dramatic sense — the overwhelming majority were dissolved for missing a confirmation statement or accounts filing, not through insolvency.
- 5,516,377 companies were on the register at the end of June 2026, after 192,287 incorporations in the quarter.
- 156,515 companies were struck off and dissolved in the same quarter — a net register increase of 37,339, or 0.7%.
- 80,643 of those dissolutions were voluntary; 67,815 were compulsory; only 8,057 came via liquidation.
- Identity verification has been a legal requirement on the register since 18 November 2025.
What "struck off" actually means
Companies House published its Q2 2026 statistics on 30 July, for the first time separating strike-off from dissolution in its reporting format. Compulsory strike-off is what happens when a company stops filing its confirmation statement or annual accounts — it is an administrative consequence, not a declaration of business failure. Voluntary strike-off is a director choosing to close a company that has genuinely stopped trading.
Why this matters more than it used to
Combined with mandatory identity verification since November 2025, the register is a less forgiving place for a dormant or half-forgotten limited company than it was two years ago. A missed confirmation statement that might once have drawn a reminder letter can now move more quickly toward compulsory strike-off, and directors of struck-off companies can find themselves with less room to simply let a dormant company lapse quietly.
What to check if this applies to you
If you run a limited company, the practical question the statistics raise is simple: do you know when your own confirmation statement and accounts are actually due? Confirmation statements are due at least once every 12 months, and missing the deadline is what starts the compulsory strike-off process — not a single missed year of trading.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a company being struck off and being liquidated?
Strike-off (voluntary or compulsory) removes a company from the register administratively, typically for closure or missed filings. Liquidation is a formal insolvency process — in Q2 2026, only 8,057 of 156,515 strike-offs went through liquidation.
Why are so many UK companies being struck off compulsorily?
Compulsory strike-off follows a company failing to file its confirmation statement or accounts — Companies House data shows 67,815 compulsory dissolutions in Q2 2026 alone.
How do I avoid my company being struck off by accident?
Track your confirmation statement and accounts deadlines directly rather than relying on reminder letters, since the register has become less forgiving since mandatory identity verification began in November 2025.