Company strike-off: checking suitability

Voluntary strike-off is a formal route to dissolve an eligible company. It is not simply a substitute for dealing with debts or outstanding obligations. GOV.UK sets conditions, including restrictions relating to recent trading and name changes, and explains the application process.

Review assets, bank balances, tax refunds and contracts before applying. Remaining assets can pass to the Crown on dissolution. Identify the people and organisations who must receive the application and keep evidence of required notifications. If circumstances change, assess whether the application must be withdrawn.

Check eligibility before treating closure as a filing task

Establish whether voluntary strike-off is suitable for the company's actual position. GOV.UK sets conditions involving recent trading or stock sales, name changes and insolvency-related circumstances. ^[1] Review the full criteria rather than relying on a general belief that the business has stopped. Activities needed to conclude affairs require careful classification; do not assume every payment or disposal has the same effect on eligibility.

Identify the directors who must approve and sign the application and whether another closure route needs consideration. Strike-off is not a substitute for dealing properly with an insolvent company. If the company cannot meet obligations or faces unresolved creditor action, obtain appropriate insolvency advice. Keep the decision supported by records rather than using non-filing or inactivity as an informal way to make the company disappear.

Resolve assets and obligations before dissolution

List bank balances, equipment, intellectual property, receivables, deposits and expected tax refunds. Remaining company assets can pass to the Crown on dissolution. ^[2] Do not focus only on cash; a domain, brand or overlooked debt owed to the company may still have value. Obtain advice on lawful disposal or distribution and retain evidence of the actual transaction before the company ceases to exist.

Reconcile suppliers, tax, payroll, loans and contingent claims. Cancelling a direct debit does not terminate the underlying contract. Review warranties and service obligations that continue after trading stops. Use Company creditors and proposed closure for the creditor review and Closing a solvent company: options to discuss when comparing solvent closure routes. Avoid distributing the last available funds before accounting for unresolved obligations and the cost of completing the closure process.

Prepare notifications and evidence of delivery

The application process includes sending copies to specified interested parties within the required period. GOV.UK provides the categories and timing. ^[3] Build the recipient list from the company's actual relationships, including relevant creditors and employees. Do not assume publication in the Gazette replaces the applicant's separate notification duties. Keep a delivery record and a process for additional people who become relevant later.

Use accurate addresses and preserve the version of the application sent. A company with a long-dormant mailbox may need a practical communication review before relying on old records. Where a claim is disputed, do not simply omit the claimant from consideration. Obtain advice on the notification and objection position while preserving correspondence and evidence of the underlying issue.

Keep responsibilities active until closure is complete

Monitor Companies House correspondence, Gazette notices and objections. Identify who handles a change in circumstances and whether the application must be withdrawn. Do not assume submission guarantees dissolution on the preferred date. Keep a named person responsible for outstanding tax, employment and record matters while the process continues, with access to the systems needed to answer questions.

Plan record custody before cancelling software and company email. Export readable ledgers, documents and submission receipts and test access. Keep only justified personal information under an appropriate retention arrangement. A director should be able to identify the custodian and relevant records after dissolution without relying on an expired subscription or a former employee's personal account.

For Company closure planning, bring the activity dates, asset and liability schedules, tax position and proposed recipient list. Ask for a suitability review and a sequenced closure plan. The practical outcome should show what must happen before application, what remains during the process and who monitors completion. Do not present a submitted form as evidence that every company obligation has been settled or that the company has already ceased to exist.

Check digital accounts before the final closure stage

List the services needed to retrieve records, receive official correspondence and complete remaining administration. Identify subscriptions, email addresses and authentication devices that may be cancelled when trading stops. Preserve necessary access while outstanding work is completed, with clear responsibility for eventual closure.

Review expected refunds and other assets separately from ordinary service cancellation. The company should not lose track of money or rights merely because an account is no longer used for trading. Keep a final action list with evidence of completion and unresolved items. This helps the directors distinguish an operationally quiet company from one whose affairs have actually been dealt with sufficiently for the proposed strike-off route.

Illustrative scenario

A dormant trading business expects a tax refund after closing its bank account. Before applying for strike-off, the directors identify that future asset and review how to resolve the tax position. Treating dissolution as the first task could make receiving or recovering the refund more difficult.

Preparation checklist

• Check current eligibility against the full official guidance.
• Identify and deal appropriately with assets and liabilities.
• Complete final tax and other required tasks.
• Record application, notifications and any changed circumstances.