What happens if Companies House strikes off your company?

By DormantFile · Updated 28 March 2026

If you repeatedly fail to file accounts or a confirmation statement, Companies House can strike your company off the register. This is not just a threat — Companies House strikes off thousands of companies every year, including dormant ones where the director simply forgot to file.

Worried this might already be happening to one of your companies? Our free Companies House audit flags overdue filings and active strike-off risk on any UK company number in seconds.

Why Companies House strikes off companies

The most common reasons are:

• Failure to file annual accounts. If your accounts are overdue and you do not respond to reminders, Companies House will start the strike-off process.
• Failure to file a confirmation statement. If your confirmation statement (CS01) is significantly overdue, the same process can be triggered.
• Companies House believes the company is not carrying on business. If post is returned from the registered office or there is other evidence the company is no longer operating, Companies House can initiate compulsory strike-off.

Being dormant does not exempt you. Dormant companies must still file accounts and confirmation statements on time. A dormant company that misses its filing deadlines is treated exactly the same as a trading one.

The strike-off process

Compulsory strike-off follows a set procedure:

1. Warning letter. Companies House writes to the company at its registered office, warning that it will be struck off unless the outstanding filings are made.

2. First Gazette notice. If there is no response, Companies House publishes a notice in The Gazette (the official public record) stating its intention to strike off the company. This is a public notice — anyone can see it.

3. Two-month waiting period. There is a two-month window after the Gazette notice during which anyone (directors, shareholders, creditors) can object to the strike-off.

4. Second Gazette notice and dissolution. If no objection is received and the outstanding filings are still not made, Companies House publishes a second notice and the company is dissolved. It ceases to exist as a legal entity.

The entire process typically takes three to four months from the first Gazette notice.

Consequences of being struck off

Once a company is struck off and dissolved:

The company ceases to exist

It is removed from the Companies House register. It cannot trade, enter into contracts, or take any legal action. For all practical purposes, it is gone.

Assets become Crown property

Any assets the company held at the time of dissolution — money in bank accounts, property, intellectual property, shares in other companies — become the property of the Crown. This is called bona vacantia and is governed by the Companies Act 2006. The Crown does not actively seek out these assets, but they are legally no longer yours.

For dormant companies this may seem academic, but if you had forgotten about money in a bank account or the company held any property, you could lose it entirely.

You lose the company name

The company name becomes available for anyone else to register. If the name has value (for branding, domain names, or client recognition), you lose that too.

Outstanding liabilities do not disappear

Dissolution does not cancel the company's debts. Creditors can still pursue what they are owed, and they can apply to have the company restored to the register specifically to recover debts. This includes Bounce Back Loans — if your company still owes a BBL, the lender can restore the company to pursue repayment. If there are personal guarantees in place, those remain enforceable regardless of what happens to the company.

Director consequences

Directors of struck-off companies may face:

• Difficulty forming or directing new companies (though this is not automatic)
• Reputational issues in credit checks and due diligence
• Personal liability if they continued to trade or incurred debts while knowing the company was about to be struck off

How to object to a strike-off

If you receive a warning letter or see a Gazette notice for your company, act immediately:

• File the outstanding documents. If the strike-off is due to overdue accounts or confirmation statements, filing them will usually halt the process.
• Write to Companies House. If you need more time, contact Companies House explaining why and confirming that you intend to file.
• Object formally. Any interested party (director, shareholder, creditor, employee) can object to the strike-off during the two-month Gazette notice period.

The sooner you act, the simpler it is to stop. Once the company is dissolved, the process to bring it back is significantly more expensive and time-consuming.

Restoration after strike-off

If your company has already been struck off, there are two routes to bring it back:

Administrative restoration

Available if the company was struck off by Companies House (not voluntarily dissolved). You can apply within six years of dissolution. The application is made to Companies House and requires:

• Payment of all outstanding filing penalties
• Filing of all overdue accounts and confirmation statements
• A fee of £500 (as of 2026)

This is the cheaper and simpler route, but it is only available in certain circumstances.

Court restoration

Available for up to six years after dissolution (longer in some cases involving personal injury claims). This requires a court order and is more expensive — legal costs can run into thousands of pounds. Court restoration is typically used when administrative restoration is not available, or when a creditor or shareholder (rather than a director) needs the company restored.

How to prevent it

The simplest advice: file on time. For a dormant company, the filings are not complicated — it is remembering to do them that causes problems.

• Know your filing deadlines. Accounts are due 9 months after your accounting reference date. Confirmation statements are due every 12 months.
• Set up reminders. We send automatic email reminders from DormantFile at 90, 30, 14, 7, 3, and 1 day before your accounts deadline. See how it works.
• If you no longer need the company, close it properly rather than letting it lapse.
• If you are already behind on filings, see how to catch up on overdue dormant company filings. Filing overdue returns should halt the strike-off process.

A voluntary strike-off that you control is always better than a compulsory one that catches you off guard.

Key points

• Companies House strikes off companies that persistently fail to file accounts or confirmation statements.
• The process involves a warning letter, two Gazette notices, and a two-month objection window before dissolution.
• Once dissolved, the company ceases to exist, assets become Crown property (bona vacantia), and you lose the company name.
• Outstanding debts are not cancelled — creditors can apply for restoration.
• Administrative restoration is possible within six years for £500 plus outstanding penalties. Court restoration is more expensive.
• Prevention is simple: file on time. If you do not need the company, close it properly.