Companies in financial distress as a result of the pandemic have been protected from creditor action since June last year, through the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020.

This was to ensure that viable businesses affected by the restrictions on trading during the lockdown periods were not forced into insolvency unnecessarily. As the economy returns to normal trading conditions, the restrictions on creditor actions will be lifted.

New measures will be brought in to help smaller companies giving them more time to trade their way back to financial health before creditors can take action to wind them up. This will particularly benefit high streets, and the hospitality and leisure sectors, which were hit hardest during the pandemic.

The new legislation will be enacted in a statutory instrument and will:

• protect businesses from creditors insisting on repayment of relatively small debts by temporarily raising the current debt threshold for a winding up petition to £10,000 or more;
• require creditors to seek proposals for payment from a debtor business, giving them 21 days for a response before they can proceed with winding up action.

These measures will be in force until 31 March 2022.

Business minister Lord Callanan said: ‘The success of our vaccine rollout means we are seeing life and the economy returning to normal with a strong rebound, and the time is right to lift the insolvency restrictions that were needed during the pandemic.

‘At the same time, we know many smaller businesses are rebuilding their balance sheets and reserves, and some will need more time to get back on their feet. These new protections will help them to do that.

‘Businesses should pay contractual rents where they are able to do so. However, the existing restrictions will remain on commercial landlords from presenting winding up petitions against limited companies to repay commercial rent arrears built up during the pandemic.’

Continuing the restriction on winding up, in respect of commercial rent only, supports the announcement on 16 June that commercial tenants will continue to be protected from eviction until 31 March 2022, while the government implements a rent arbitration scheme to deal with commercial rent debts accrued during the pandemic.

‘The end of the ban on the use of winding up petitions, along with the temporary introduction of the new £10k debt limit – increased from the original limit of £750 – will allow those who are owed significant sums of money to take action against those who owe it, while at the same time preventing viable businesses facing the threat of winding up petitions over relatively small sums of money. However, this measure won’t apply to commercial rent arrears accrued during the pandemic,’ said Christina Fitzgerald, vice president at insolvency and restructuring trade body R3.

‘We urge anyone who is concerned about the ending of the temporary insolvency measures to seek advice, and do it now. Businesses who seek advice early often have more options open to them, more time to make a decision about their next steps, and more favourable outcome than if they’d waited and let the problem spiral.’