New business registrations rise while insolvency falls, figures show

Posted 05/07/2010

New figures have shown that the number of start-up business registrations in the UK has risen.

The statistics published by Companies House state that there were ten per cent more company registrations in the 12 months to March this year than was the case in 2009.

This follows decreases of 17 per cent and 11 per cent in 2007-08 and 2008-09 respectively, the Financial Times reports.

Meanwhile, data from PricewaterhouseCoopers has found that 28 per cent fewer companies became insolvent in the second quarter of this year than a year ago.

However, insolvency trade body R3 recently warned that business failures may rise again as the economy recovers further, a common trend following a recession.

It carried out a poll which found that 12 per cent of small firms fear insolvency if the Bank of England base rate increases to between 3.5 per cent and four per cent.

This follows news from Credit Action that the number of personal insolvencies in the UK has increased by 18 per cent since last year.