Claiming money in an insolvency
Find the correct debtor and procedure, document the debt and understand what admission of a claim means.
An insolvency claim records what a debtor owes you. Registering the claim allows it to be considered within the relevant procedure; it is not a promise of payment. First identify the legal debtor, the case and the person responsible for administering it.
Identify the debtor and the case
A trading name, website or group logo may describe several legal entities. Match invoices, contracts and company numbers before submitting a claim. A claim against one group company does not automatically create a claim against another or against a director.
Use the appropriate official register and the office holder’s notices to establish the procedure and appointment. A petition is an application; it is different from an order commencing a court liquidation. Follow the instructions for the actual case rather than a generic form found online.
Prepare an evidenced claim
Explain how the amount arose and reconcile it to payments, credits and returns. Separate principal from interest, and identify disputed, contingent or estimated elements. Tell the office holder about security, retention of title, mutual debts and any third-party payment already received.
- Keep contracts, invoices, statements and delivery records.
- State the relevant date and basis of the calculation.
- Retain proof of submission and update changed details.
Technical detail
Insolvency set-off, security and title claims can alter the amount or route of recovery. They require analysis; they are not simply extra unsecured claims.
Understand admission and distributions
A debt may be accepted for voting before it is finally admitted for a dividend. The office holder may ask for more evidence or reject all or part of a claim. Read any rejection or dividend notice promptly: challenge rights and submission deadlines can be short. Recovery depends on asset realisations, costs and the applicable priorities.
The position in England & Wales
The England and Wales rules distinguish proof for voting from proof for distributions and contain particular small-debt provisions. A creditor should not assume an earlier informal registration satisfies every later requirement. Use the relevant case notice and any requested proof of debt.
Sources & review
Read the source in its own context. Legislation may contain commencement provisions and changes not yet applied to the displayed text. Professional guidance is identified separately from law.
Initial source-based editorial review: 26 Oct 2026. Next scheduled review: 26 Jan 2027. Substantive changes are reviewed before publication.
Editorial source review. This overview does not determine the outcome of an individual claim or dispute.
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