Updated for 2026: Fees and rules can change, so this guide reflects current Companies House and GOV.UK guidance at the time of writing.
What is voluntary strike-off?
Voluntary strike off is the simpler route. It is the process of removing a company from the Companies House register, which is also called dissolution.
In plain English, this is usually the route for companies that have finished trading, have nothing left to pay, and do not need a formal winding-up process. If the company is dormant or has simply reached the end of its life, strike off can be the quickest and cheapest option.
A few practical points:
- Filing fee: £13 online or £18 by paper, as of 2026.
- Timeframe: usually around 3 to 4 months.
- Insolvency practitioner required: no.
What is liquidation?
Liquidation is more formal. It is used when a company needs its affairs wrapped up properly, assets dealt with, creditors paid, and any remaining value passed on to shareholders.
This route usually involves a licensed insolvency practitioner, and it comes in three forms:
- Members’ Voluntary Liquidation (MVL): for solvent companies with assets to distribute.
- Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation (CVL): for insolvent companies that cannot pay what they owe.
- Compulsory liquidation: ordered by the court, usually after action from a creditor or the Insolvency Service.
Liquidation takes more time and costs more than strike off, but in the right case it is the safer and more sensible option.
Strike off vs liquidation
| Feature | Strike off | MVL | CVL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company solvent? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Debts outstanding? | No | No | Yes |
| Assets to distribute? | No or minimal | Yes | Not the main focus |
| Cost | £13 online / £18 paper | Usually several thousand pounds depending on complexity | Usually several thousand pounds depending on complexity |
| Timeframe | Around 3–4 months | Often 3–12 months | Often 6–24 months |
| Insolvency practitioner needed? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Simple closure | Tax-efficient extraction of value | Insolvent closure |
When strike off makes sense
Strike off is usually the better fit when the company has simply come to the end of the road. If it has stopped trading, has no debts, and does not own anything significant, the process is usually straightforward.
It is also the right route only if the company has:
- settled its tax and HMRC liabilities,
- paid any creditors,
- no ongoing legal disputes,
- not traded or sold stock in the last 3 months,
- not changed its name in the last 3 months.
Before filing, it is worth checking bank balances, contracts, subscriptions, and any assets sitting in the company. Anything left behind can cause problems later.
When liquidation is the better fit
Liquidation becomes the obvious choice once the company has debts, assets worth distributing, or a more complicated closure ahead of it.
If the company is insolvent, CVL is usually the right route. If it is solvent but has money or assets to pass to shareholders, MVL is often more efficient and more orderly than strike off.
Where there is substantial value to distribute, MVL can also bring tax advantages. Qualifying distributions may benefit from Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR), subject to HMRC rules and the usual eligibility conditions. That is one of the reasons many solvent companies with real retained value choose MVL rather than a basic strike off.
Why the choice matters
This is one of those decisions that looks simple until it is not. If a company is struck off when it should have been liquidated, the result can be objections, restoration to the register, or a messy cleanup later on.
For directors, the real risks are usually practical:
- a slower closure,
- HMRC or creditor objections,
- assets being left behind,
- and, in the worst cases, personal exposure if company affairs were not dealt with properly.
That is why it is worth checking the company’s position before filing anything.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is assuming strike off is the default answer. It is not. It works well in the right circumstances, but not when the company still has debts, assets, or unresolved issues.
A few things are easy to overlook:
- a small balance left in the bank,
- unpaid VAT or PAYE,
- forgotten subscriptions or software accounts,
- assets that were never formally transferred,
- contracts that are still live.
These are the sorts of details that can turn a simple closure into a longer job than expected.