What exactly is strike-off?
Think of strike-off as Companies House's way of saying "you're not playing by the rules, so you're out of the game." When your company gets struck off, it's deleted from the official register and legally ceases to exist.
There are two ways this can happen:
- You choose to close down (DS01 form): Maybe your business isn't working out, or you want to retire. You fill out some paperwork and voluntarily shut things down.
- Companies House kicks you out: This is the scary one. You've missed too many deadlines, ignored too many letters, and now they're pulling the plug without asking.
When confusion costs £6,000
Here's a story that perfectly shows how confusing this process can be. A company director thought her business had already been struck off, so she decided to "finish the job" by filing all the overdue paperwork[1]. The problem? Her company wasn't actually struck off yet. By filing those late documents, she triggered £6,000 worth of penalties that could have been avoided if she'd just understood where she stood in the process.
The warning signs (and why most people miss them)
1. You're behind on paperwork
This is the big one. If you're consistently late with your filings, you're basically waving a red flag at Companies House:
- Accounts more than 6 months overdue - At this point, you're in serious trouble
- Missing your annual confirmation statement - It's just one form, but forget it and you're on the radar
- Ignoring those increasingly stern letters - They start polite, but Companies House doesn't give up
2. You've become impossible to reach
Here's something that catches people out: if Companies House can't actually contact you, they assume you've disappeared. Maybe you moved office and forgot to update your registered address, or your mail is being returned. Either way, if they can't reach you, they can't warn you.
3. You missed the final warning in the Gazette
The London Gazette might sound old-fashioned, but it's where Companies House publishes their final warnings. Once your company appears there, you have exactly 2 months to sort things out. Miss this, and it's game over.
Strike-Off Timeline
Filing deadline missed
Penalties imposed, compliance letters sent to registered office
First Gazette notice (6-12 months later)
Public warning published, 2 months to respond
Company dissolved
Assets vest in Crown, company ceases to exist legally
What happens when your company gets struck off (spoiler: it's not good)
When your company is struck off, it doesn't just become "inactive" – it literally stops existing. Here's what that means in practice:
- Your company is legally dead - It can't enter contracts, own property, or do anything a company normally does
- Everything you own belongs to the Crown - That bank account, those assets, even money owed to you – it all goes to the government
- Your bank freezes everything - Good luck paying bills or accessing funds when your bank account is frozen
- You become personally liable - Any debts your company had? They might now be your problem personally
- Trading becomes a criminal offense - Keep doing business after strike-off and you could face prosecution
Getting your company back (expensive and painful)
Can you restore a struck-off company? Yes. Will it be cheap or easy? Absolutely not.
The "simple" route: Administrative restoration costs £100 in fees, plus all the penalties you owe, plus professional fees to sort out the mess. Most people end up paying over £1,000.
The complicated route: Court restoration means court fees of £500+, legal costs between £2,000-£5,000, and months of stress while lawyers sort everything out.
What it actually costs
Here's a real example: A dormant company that hadn't filed anything for 3 years got struck off. To get it back, they paid £100 restoration fee + £636 in penalties that had been building up + £500 in professional fees = £1,236 total. For a company that hadn't made a penny in profit during those 3 years.
How to avoid this mess entirely
Stay on top of your deadlines (seriously, just do it)
- File your accounts early - You get 9 months from your year-end. Don't wait until month 8.5
- Don't forget your confirmation statement - It's due within 14 days of your anniversary date
- Set reminders that actually work - Put them in your phone, your calendar, tattoo them on your forehead if necessary
Make sure they can actually reach you
- Keep your registered office address current - Moved office? Update Companies House immediately
- Check the Gazette occasionally - It's boring, but browse it monthly to see if your company name appears
- Don't ignore official letters - Even if they look scary, read them and respond
A word about dormant companies
Think your company is dormant so you don't need to do anything? Think again. Even dormant companies need to file confirmation statements and dormant accounts. According to the latest government data[2], 27% of penalty appeals come from dormant companies whose directors thought they were exempt. They weren't.
Emergency mode: You just got a strike-off notice
Don't panic, but do move fast. Here's your action plan:
- Drop everything and deal with this now - You literally have 2 months before your company disappears forever
- File everything you owe - Accounts, confirmation statements, pay all those penalties you've been ignoring
- Call Companies House - Yes, actually pick up the phone and confirm they know you're sorting it out
- Get help if you're overwhelmed - If this feels too complicated, find an accountant or company secretary who can handle it properly
Prevention Checklist
Look, strike-off is completely avoidable if you just stay on top of things. Don't be the director who finds out their company has vanished because they couldn't be bothered to file a form on time. Set up proper deadline tracking, keep your paperwork current, and treat Companies House letters like they actually matter – because they do.
References
- [1]Companies House Independent Adjudicators' Report 2023-2024, Case Study 6. Available at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/companies-house-independent-adjudicators-report-2023-to-2024/annual-report-by-the-independent-adjudicators-to-companies-house-2023-to-2024#case-study-6-communication-issues-and-penalty-appeals [Accessed November 2025]
- [2]Companies House Independent Adjudicators' Report 2023-2024, Appeals Data and Trends. Available at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/companies-house-independent-adjudicators-report-2023-to-2024/annual-report-by-the-independent-adjudicators-to-companies-house-2023-to-2024#appeals-data-and-trends [Accessed November 2025]