This chapter examines the rationale behind the rescue culture and the three principal rescue mechanisms: administration, the company voluntary arrangement, and the moratorium. The UK has sought to adopt a rescue culture, under which the law offers struggling companies access to several rescue mechanisms. The principal rescue mechanism is administration, under which an administrator is appointed to try and fulfil the purpose of administration. An administrator can be appointed by the court, the holder of a qualifying floating charge, or the company or its directors. A moratorium is imposed once a company enters administration, which prevents certain actions from proceeding. Meanwhile, a company voluntary arrangement is a rescue procedure that allows a company to enter into a binding agreement with its creditors. A company voluntary arrangement begins with a proposal being made, and that proposal must then be approved by the company and creditors. A new, free-standing moratorium was introduced in 2020.
Chapter
22. Corporate rescue
Chapter
1. The Company and its Incorporation
This chapter discusses rescue and insolvency procedures. Companies experiencing financial difficulty have various options to effect either the timely rescue of viable commercial enterprises or the orderly and competent management of affairs before ceasing operations. This chapter considers: the Insolvency Act 1986 Pt 1A moratorium; company voluntary arrangements; administration; receivership and administrative receivership; distribution of assets subject to the receivership; liquidation or winding up; investigating and reporting the affairs of the company; dissolution of the company; and restoration to the register.
Chapter
9. Corporate rescue and liquidation
This chapter discusses the various procedures available to companies experiencing financial difficulties that are so severe that the company’s survival is in jeopardy. It focuses on the principal statutory procedures that aim to help struggling companies, namely administration, the company voluntary arrangement, the restructuring plan, and the moratorium. It then moves on to discuss liquidation and the distribution of assets to creditors.
Chapter
20. Company insolvency and liquidation
This chapter deals with procedures and legislation governing the insolvency and liquidation of a company and who are qualified as insolvency practitioners. It discusses insolvency procedures such as administration, voluntary arrangement, creditors’ voluntary winding up, winding up by the court and the appointment of a provisional liquidator. It considers the effect of insolvency and liquidation procedures on floating charges, court control of insolvency and liquidation procedures, and liability for fraudulent trading and wrongful trading. The legal principles underlying disqualification orders against a company’s directors, the use of an insolvent company’s name, the order of the application of assets in liquidation and the dissolution of a company are also examined.
