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The items below are online copies of evaluation reports and studies carried out by The Insolvency Service in the fields of corporate and personal insolvency.
For ease of reference, the reports have been published in chornological order.
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Publication date: 3 Feb 2011
The EC Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings (ECIR) was adopted by the European Union in May 2000. The regulation aims to provide an ordered regime governing the administration of the affairs of an insolvent whose centre of main interests (COMI) is in the EU, recognising that cross-border issues can arise in insolvency proceedings.
The Service issued a questionnaire in July 2009 to identify how the ECIR could be improved. This initial reports seeks to identify the main issues for further consideration, based on the results of the respondents to the questionnaire, setting out possible options.
Publication date: 8 Nov 2010
To provide an initial evaluation of the Debt Relief Order (“DRO”) regime. This initial report considers the following: - Accessibility of the DRO system; - The profile of debtors who have accessed DROs;- The wider social and economic impact of DROs;- Further research opportunities for DRO evaluation.
The Insolvency Service is committed to undertake a full evaluation of DROs by 2012.
DROs provide debt relief, subject to some restrictions. They are suitable for people who do not own their own home, have little surplus income and assets and less than £15,000 of debt.
Interim report on Debt Relief Orders - Nov 2010
Publication date: 6 Jun 2009
The aim of this research was to ascertain whether there have been changes over the study period in respect of these areas.
Publication date: 3 Apr 2009
This report looks at the characteristics of bankrupts, collectively in England & Wales and on a regional basis, over a three-year period between 2005 to 2008.
Profiles of bankrupts: 2005/6 to 2007/8 published in April 2009Appendix 1: Bankruptcy population and characteristics for England and WalesAppendix 1:Bankruptcy characteristics for England and Wales (All tables in excel)
Appendix 2: Regional bankruptcy population and characteristicsAppendix 2: Regional results (All tables in excel)
Profiles of companies in liquidation: 2005/6 to 2007/8 published April 2009 Appendix 1: Compulsory liquidation population and characteristics for England and WalesAppendix 1: Compulsory liquidation characteristics for England and Wales (All tables in excel)
Appendix 2: Regional compulsory liquidation population and characteristics
Appendix 2: Regional results (All tables in excel)
Publication date:
The main individual insolvency provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA) came into effect in April 2004. One of the ultimate objectives of the Enterprise Act relates to the alleviation of the social consequences of bankruptcy, such as the reduction of any associated stigma. Surveys were therefore undertaken in 2004 and 2006/07 to assess the attitudes of bankrupts, small businesses and the general public to bankruptcy. The results were subsequently published in “Attitudes to Bankruptcy” and “Attitudes to Bankruptcy Revisited”. While stigma may be open to various interpretations, each of the surveys specified that in this context it was defined as “disgrace”.
A similar exercise to those undertaken in 2004 and 2006/07 ran in January 2009. The aim of those surveys was to obtain a cross section of views regarding attitudes to bankruptcy; in particular to see whether there continues to be a stigma associated with bankruptcy, and if so, the reasons why this still exists. As in previous years, the following target groups were surveyed: bankrupts, businesses (sole proprietorships)and individuals (‘the general public’) to see if there have been any significant changes in attitudes to bankruptcy.
Attitudes to Bankruptcy 2009 - January 2009
Attitudes to Bankruptcy Revisited - November 2007
Attitudes to Bankruptcy - March 2004
This report looks at the creditors who have petitioned for bankruptcy, collectively in England and Wales, since the early 1990s up to 2008.
A study of creditors petitioning for bankrutpcy up to 2008 - November 2008
- Bankruptcy petition and order statistics - Appendix 1
This report looks at the results of a survey carried out by The Insolvency Service to obtain information and views on individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) from debtors subject to an IVA and supervisors of IVAs.
Survey of Debtors and Supervisors of Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) Report - June 2008
Appendix 1 - Questionnaire for IVA debtors
Appendix 2 - Questionnaire for IVA supervisors on specified IVAs
Appendix 3 - Questionnaire for IVA supervisors to obtain views on general experience of supervising IVAs
Corporate provisions of the Enterprise Act Final Report - January 2008
Personal provisions of the Enterprise Act Final Report - November 2007 Individual provisions of the Enterprise Act - follow up reports, appendices and comparative reports.
Interim evaluation reports
This report looks at the results of a survey carried out by The Insolvency Service in 2007. The aim of the survey was to obtain views from debtor petition bankrupts regarding the process of petitioning for bankruptcy.
Survey of debtors petitioning for bankruptcy - Dec 2007
Survey of Debtors Petitioning for Bankruptcy - Appendix 1 - Your views on the process of petitioning for bankruptcy
This report looks at the causes of failure in bankruptcy and compulsory liquidation cases, collectively in England & Wales, over a two-year period.
It focuses on three key areas:- The primary causes of failure- The profile of insolvents with the same primary cause of failure- The secondary and tertiary causes of failure
The aim of this analysis was to ascertain the reasons that lead to an insolvent entering bankruptcy or compulsory liquidation proceedings, and whether any conclusions could be drawn regarding causes of failure and the profile of insolvents.
This report looks at the characteristics of bankrupts, collectively in England & Wales and on a regional basis, over a three-year period.
It focuses on the following areas:- Petition type- Gender- Age- Previous insolvency proceedings- Employment status- Whether an income payments agreement/order was obtained- Property ownership- Assets- Liabilities – the level of debt owed and the number of creditors
The aim of this research was to ascertain whether there have been changes over the study period in respect of these characteristics, and whether any regional differences exist.
Profiles of bankrupts: 2003/4 to 2005/6 - Main report
Appendix 1- Bankruptcy population characteristics for England and Wales- Bankruptcy characteristics for England and Wales (all tables in excel)
Appendix 2- Regional population characteristics for England and Wales- Regional results (all tables in excel)
Profiles of companies in liquidation
This report looks at the profiles of companies in compulsory liquidation, collectively in England & Wales and on a regional basis, over a three-year period.It focuses on the following areas:- Petitioner type- Business sector- Length of trading- Assets- Liabilities, including the level of debt owed and number of creditors
Profiles of companies in compulsory liquidation: 2003/4 to 2005/6 - main report
Appendix 1 - Compulsory liquidation population and characteristics for England and Wales - Compulsory liquidation characteristics for England and Wales (All tables in excel)
Appendix 2 - Regional compulsory liquidation population and characteristics- Regional results (All tables in excel)
This report looks at the results of surveys carried out by The Insolvency Service. The aim of the surveys was to obtain views from self-employed bankrupts regarding the impact of bankruptcy on self-employment.
This report looks at the results of a survey carried out by The Insolvency Service in 2006. The aim of the survey was to obtain views from bankrupts regarding discharge from bankruptcy.
The report looks at the creditors who petitioned for bankruptcy, collectively in England & Wales, since the early 1990s. It focuses on three key areas:
- The level of bankruptcy petitions presented by creditors
- The level of orders made on bankruptcy petitions presented by creditors
- The type of creditors on whose petition a bankruptcy order is made
The aim of the research was to ascertain whether there have been changes over the study period in respect of these areas.
The report provides details of the evaluation work carried out in respect of the new financial regime of The Insolvency Service (The Service) resulting from the associated provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA2002).
Interim Evaluation Report
Interim Evaluation Report Appendix A - Evaluation information for Objective 1 – To simplify case administration fees and achieve full cost recovery wherever possible
Interim Evaluation Report Appendix B - Evaluation information for Objective 2 – To achieve full cost recovery in the banking function
Interim Evaluation Report Appendix C - Evaluation information for Objective 3 – To achieve full cost recovery in the Insolvency Practitioner function
Interim Evaluation Report Appendix D - Evaluation information for Objective 4 – To enable creditors and debtors to get a better deal and better quality of service from Official Receivers and Insolvency Practitioners
Evaluation Planning Paper - Appendix F: - Evaluation Planning Paper – New Financial Regime resulting from the Enterprise Act 2002 - The differences between the new and old financial regimes
This report looks at the characteristics of bankrupts, collectively in England & Wales and on a regional basis. The report focuses on gender, age, number of creditors and the level of debts owed. The aim of the research was to ascertain whether there have been changes over the study period in respect of these characteristics, and whether any regional differences exist.
The report provides details of the evaluation work undertaken to evaluate the Insolvency Act 2000.
The Insolvency Act 2000 formed part of the step-by-step approach to the reform of insolvency legislation which has continued with changes brought about by the Enterprise Act 2002. The approach has been to ensure that insolvency legislation reflects a modern credit-based economy and that there is an appropriate solution for all those who find themselves in financial trouble, whatever their circumstances.
