Insights ¦ Investigation and Enforcement Strategy 2026 to 2031

Key Take Aways

1. The investigation and enforcement function is broadening from solely insolvency misconduct to encompass wider corporate and economic crime, including money laundering and abuse of corporate structures.
2. A strategic emphasis is placed on deploying enhanced powers, flexible investigation tools, and leveraging technology to target complex, serious criminality associated with corporate activity.
3. Cross-agency collaboration, especially with Companies House, HMRC, NECC, and law enforcement bodies like the SFO and NCA, is central to the agency’s approach in disrupting organised financial crime.
4. The agency aims to increase impact in direct disqualifications, prosecutions, and recovery of criminal proceeds, thereby acting as a robust deterrent to misconduct among company directors.
5. Development of digital capabilities, including new intelligence databases, artificial intelligence, and data analytics, will support the identification, targeting, and disruption of corporate fraud and misconduct.
6. The strategy commits to strengthening the UK’s reputation as a safe and trusted place to do business by maintaining standards, tackling illicit activity, and ensuring integrity in corporate registration processes.
7. Workforce development is a priority, with investments in specialised training—including cryptocurrency expertise—and pathways into enforcement roles to attract high-calibre talent.
8. A focus on proactive intelligence gathering is designed to better understand and anticipate threats in the corporate landscape, including international misuse of UK structures and emerging crypto-assets.
9. A blueprint for deeper partnerships and integrated enforcement approaches is laid out to amplify cross-sectoral efforts against economic crime and misconduct.
10. The agency plans to overhaul its case management systems and harness emerging technology to improve operational efficiency and evidence handling, including digital forensic capabilities.
11. Metrics and outcome-focused reporting will be enhanced to demonstrate the economic benefits of enforcement activities, including impacts on market confidence and fair competition.
12. Key initiatives include sophisticated investigations into dormant companies, misleading conduct by corporate rescue firms, and the misuse of UK property for laundering illicit funds.

Key Statistics

• During 2024/25, the agency disqualified 1,036 directors and secured 121 compensation orders with a total value exceeding £3.7 million.
• Average director disqualification period was 8.5 years; 20% lasted over 10 years.
• The economic benefit of disqualification work is estimated at over £36 million, with insolvency restrictions contributing an additional £7 million.
• Over 11,500 companies have been struck off the register during enforcement actions linked to economic crime.
• Approximately 43,000 suspicious entities linked to organised crime in South-East Asia were identified through intelligence work.
• Asset recovery investigations encompass approximately £70 million worth of assets.
• In investigations, over 2,000 companies linked to dormant company abuse involving cross-border links are under review.

Key Discussion Points

• The expansion of enforcement powers to include wider corporate misconduct, economic crime, and innovative financial crimes such as crypto-assets.
• The importance of partnership working with agencies like Companies House, HMRC, NECC, SFO, and the Police to maximise enforcement impact and intelligence sharing.
• The strategic adoption of technology, AI, and enhanced data analytics to identify and prioritise the most harmful offences and criminal networks.
• The ongoing review and modernisation of investigation powers, including live company investigations and disqualification frameworks, to stay ahead of evolving fraud schemes.
• The significant role of proactive intelligence gathering and data sharing in disrupting money laundering, fraud, and misuse of UK corporate structures.
• The centrality of building a motivated, skilled workforce supported with specialised training, including cryptocurrency expertise, to bolster enforcement capacity.
• The focus on tackling misuse of dormant companies, false corporate claims, and illegal phoenixism as priority offence areas.
• The ambition to raise the UK’s standing as a leading enforcement authority in corporate and insolvency standards.
• The strategy’s emphasis on measuring success through improved data capture, outcomes, and wider economic benefits.
• The plan to develop case management and forensic capabilities for complex financial investigations.
• The recognition that a broad and integrated enforcement approach is necessary to adapt to emerging threats and maintain market confidence.
• The intention to deepen international and cross-sectoral collaboration to address global laundering, fraud, and misuse of corporate structures.

Document Description

This article outlines a comprehensive strategy for investigation and enforcement within the UK’s corporate and insolvency landscape, focusing on expanding capabilities to combat economic crime, fraud, and misconduct through innovative tools, strategic partnerships, and workforce development. It provides a detailed roadmap aimed at strengthening the agency’s role as a leader in corporate enforcement, with clear objectives, pillars of delivery, and performance measures aligned with maintaining the integrity of the UK marketplace and fostering economic confidence.