CompanyPulse BlogUK company insights, data analysis, and investigative journalism from CompanyPulse.https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog2026-04-03T00:00:00ZCompanyPulse Data DeskBusiness rates revaluation takes effect as 5.6 million UK companies face new tax landscapehttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/business-rates-revaluation-2026-uk-companies-analysis2026-04-03T00:00:00Z2026-04-03T00:00:00ZThe Valuation Office's integration into HMRC coincides with new business rates coming into force on 1 April 2026, potentially affecting millions of UK companies already grappling with rising minimum wages and operational costs.New 'Click to Cancel' Laws: UK Subscription Businesses Face Compliance Deadlinehttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/new-click-to-cancel-laws-uk-subscription-businesses-face-compliance-deadline2026-04-02T00:00:00Z2026-04-02T00:00:00ZUK companies operating subscription models must update cancellation systems by spring 2027 under new consumer protection laws, with online retailers, software companies and service businesses among the most affected sectors.Transport and Hospitality Face Double Hit as Oil Reaches $120 and Minimum Wage Rises to £12.71https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/oil-115-minimum-wage-12-71-uk-sectors-double-cost-squeeze2026-04-01T00:00:00Z2026-04-01T00:00:00ZUK businesses face simultaneous pressures from crude oil near $120 per barrel and minimum wage rising to £12.71, with transport and hospitality sectors particularly exposed to the dual cost increase.Minimum Wage Rises to £12.71: Take-Away Shops and Beauty Services Among 847,000 UK Companies Facing Cost Squeezehttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/minimum-wage-rises-12-71-takeaway-shops-beauty-services-847000-companies-facing-cost-squeeze2026-04-01T00:00:00Z2026-04-01T00:00:00ZThe national minimum wage increase to £12.71 per hour affects around 2.7 million workers, with analysis of Companies House data revealing 84,082 take-away food shops and 74,452 beauty treatment businesses among the most exposed sectors.£9.1bn Car Finance Compensation: UK Auto Sector Faces Massive Redress Billhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/car-finance-compensation-uk-auto-sector-faces-91bn-redress-bill2026-03-31T00:00:00Z2026-03-31T00:00:00ZThe Financial Conduct Authority's proposed compensation scheme for 12.1 million mis-sold car finance deals could cost lenders £9.1bn, with average payouts of £829 per claim.UK Tech Sector Employment Patterns Shift as Companies Navigate AI Transformationhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/uk-tech-sector-employment-ai-transformation-20262026-03-30T00:00:00Z2026-03-30T00:00:00ZAnalysis of CompanyPulse data reveals 362,822 active UK technology companies, with IT consultancy and software development firms representing the largest segments as the sector undergoes structural changes.Oil at $115: Transport and Logistics Lead UK Sectors at Risk as 113,714 Companies Already in Insolvencyhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/oil-115-transport-logistics-sectors-insolvency-risk2026-03-30T00:00:00Z2026-03-30T00:00:00ZWith oil prices hitting $115 per barrel and 113,714 UK companies currently in insolvency procedures, transport and logistics firms face mounting pressure as fuel costs surge amid Middle East tensions.108,461 UK Companies in Liquidation as Fraud Case Exposes Asset-Hiding Tacticshttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/108461-uk-companies-liquidation-fraud-case-asset-hiding2026-03-30T00:00:00Z2026-03-30T00:00:00ZCompanyPulse data reveals 108,461 UK companies are currently in liquidation, while a new bankruptcy fraud conviction highlights how directors illegally transfer assets to evade creditors.Lloyds IT Glitch Hits 447,936 as UK Financial Sector Faces Operational Crisis: 113,717 Firms in Insolvency Procedureshttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/lloyds-it-glitch-447936-uk-financial-crisis-113717-liquidation2026-03-29T00:00:00Z2026-03-29T00:00:00ZLloyds Banking Group revealed an IT failure affected up to 447,936 customers, exposing sensitive financial data, while 113,717 UK financial services firms remain in liquidation or administration.Government's £100m CO2 plant rescue highlights vulnerability of UK food sectorhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/government-100m-co2-plant-rescue-uk-food-sector-vulnerability2026-03-28T00:00:00Z2026-03-28T00:00:00ZThe UK government will invest £100m to reopen a Teesside CO2 plant amid supply chain concerns from the Iran conflict, as thousands of food and beverage manufacturers face heightened operational risks.Father jailed for £100,000 bankruptcy fraud: UK has 108,461 companies in liquidationhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/bankruptcy-fraud-case-reveals-data-gap-uk-directors-hide-assets2026-03-28T00:00:00Z2026-03-28T00:00:00ZA Hertfordshire father's imprisonment for transferring £100,000 to dodge school fees exposes a critical gap in UK corporate data: while 108,461 companies are in liquidation, there's no systematic tracking of pre-insolvency asset transfers.HMRC Issues Fresh Tax Avoidance Warning as Real Estate and Consultancy Lead High-Risk Sectorshttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/hmrc-tax-avoidance-warning-real-estate-consultancy-high-risk-sectors2026-03-28T00:00:00Z2026-03-28T00:00:00ZReal estate and management consultancy sectors dominate UK company formations with over 994,000 active firms, as HMRC releases new warnings about tax avoidance schemes targeting contractors and company directors.12,684 UK companies formed in past week as real estate and consultancy lead incorporation surgehttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/uk-company-incorporations-surge-despite-economic-headwinds-march-20262026-03-28T00:00:00Z2026-03-28T00:00:00ZNew data reveals 12,684 companies incorporated in the UK over the past seven days, with real estate and management consultancy sectors dominating new business formation despite fuel price spikes and consumer confidence concerns.CMA Investigates 5 Firms for Fake Reviews: Just Eat, Autotrader Lead High-Profile Probehttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/cma-investigates-5-firms-fake-reviews-just-eat-autotrader2026-03-27T00:00:00Z2026-03-27T00:00:00ZThe Competition and Markets Authority has launched investigations into Just Eat, Autotrader, Dignity, Feefo and Pasta Evangelists over allegedly misleading online reviews, marking a significant test of the regulator's enhanced consumer protection powers.Company Filings Show Mixed Signals as UK Businesses Navigate Early Days of Iran Conflicthttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/company-filings-iran-conflict-uk-business-impact2026-03-26T00:00:00Z2026-03-26T00:00:00ZWhile media coverage focuses on oil price spikes and economic forecasts, UK company registration data reveals a complex picture of business activity in the first week since the conflict began, with 8,320 new incorporations recorded despite market uncertainty.NS&I faces £100m+ compensation bill as 113,135 UK financial firms enter liquidation or administrationhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/nsi-compensation-financial-sector-operational-failures2026-03-26T00:00:00Z2026-03-26T00:00:00ZNational Savings and Investments is expected to pay hundreds of millions in compensation for operational failures affecting 37,000 customers, while Companies House data reveals 113,135 financial services companies have entered insolvency proceedings.Oil at $100: Transport and manufacturing sectors face insolvency pressures as energy costs surgehttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/oil-100-transport-manufacturing-insolvency-energy-costs2026-03-26T00:00:00Z2026-03-26T00:00:00ZWith oil prices breaching $100 per barrel amid Middle East conflict, UK sectors with high energy exposure face mounting financial pressure, though recent incorporation data shows continued business formation activity.Oil Price Surge: Transport and Manufacturing Sectors Under Pressure as Fuel Costs Soarhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/oil-price-surge-transport-manufacturing-pressure2026-03-25T00:00:00Z2026-03-25T00:00:00ZWith Brent crude hitting $103 and UK petrol prices reaching 149.44p per litre, energy-intensive sectors face mounting financial pressure as the Middle East conflict disrupts global oil supplies.Companies House Security Breach Exposes All 5.6 Million UK Companies to Data Riskhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/companies-house-security-breach-exposes-all-uk-companies2026-03-24T00:00:00Z2026-03-24T00:00:00ZA WebFiling vulnerability at Companies House has potentially exposed sensitive data from every registered UK company, with real estate and consulting firms representing the largest affected sectors.One Director, Two Bans: Surrey Case Highlights Gap in Data on Repeat Disqualificationshttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/one-director-two-bans-surrey-case-highlights-data-gap-repeat-disqualifications2026-03-24T00:00:00Z2026-03-24T00:00:00ZA Surrey business adviser's second director disqualification for tax debts totalling £120,000 exposes the challenge of tracking repeat offenders across the UK's 526,873 registered company officers.UK borrowing costs hit 16-year high: Which sectors face insolvency surge as rates bite?https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/uk-borrowing-costs-16-year-high-insolvency-surge-sectors2026-03-23T00:00:00Z2026-03-23T00:00:00ZGovernment borrowing costs have reached their highest level since 2008, raising concerns about a potential wave of company failures as businesses face increased financing pressures.389 UK Companies Named for Minimum Wage Violations: Which Sectors Are the Worst Offenders?https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/389-uk-companies-minimum-wage-violations-sector-analysis2026-03-23T00:00:00Z2026-03-23T00:00:00ZHMRC has named 389 employers for underpaying around 60,000 workers by over £7.3 million. Analysis of Companies House data reveals patterns across sectors, with businesses facing £12.6 million in penalties.Companies House breach exposes email addresses of 5.6 million UK companieshttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/companies-house-breach-exposes-email-addresses-56-million-uk-companies2026-03-22T00:00:00Z2026-03-22T00:00:00ZA security vulnerability in Companies House's WebFiling service has potentially exposed the registered email addresses of all 5,645,362 UK companies, with real estate and consultancy sectors most affected.23,938 UK companies went insolvent in 2025. We dug into the filings.https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/uk-insolvencies-q4-20252026-03-10T00:00:00Z2026-03-10T00:00:00ZThe 2025 insolvency numbers are in - similar to 2024 but still at levels last seen during the 2008-09 recession. Construction and hospitality lead the sector breakdown.Thames Water's corporate maze: 15 subsidiaries, £18.3bn in debt, and a paper trail worth readinghttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/thames-water-corporate-structure2026-03-06T00:00:00Z2026-03-06T00:00:00ZWe mapped every entity in the Kemble Water Holdings structure using Companies House filings.Companies House identity verification is live. Millions of directors still need to verify.https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/companies-house-identity-verification2026-03-01T00:00:00Z2026-03-01T00:00:00ZThe ECCT Act's biggest reform launched on 18 November 2025. An estimated 6-7 million individuals need to verify by mid-November 2026.HMRC winding-up petitions are surging. Compulsory liquidations hit a 13-year high.https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/hmrc-winding-up-petitions-q4-20252026-02-24T00:00:00Z2026-02-24T00:00:00ZTax debts are catching up. Compulsory liquidations in 2025 reached 3,730 - the highest annual figure since 2012, driven largely by HMRC enforcement.Three directors, forty-seven companies, one registered address in Doncasterhttps://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/doncaster-director-network2026-02-17T00:00:00Z2026-02-17T00:00:00ZA routine search flagged a network that keeps growing.UK incorporations dipped in Q4 2025 but the effective register is still nearly 4.9 million companies.https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/uk-startup-incorporations-20252026-02-10T00:00:00Z2026-02-10T00:00:00ZQ4 2025 saw 184,888 new incorporations across the UK - down 14% on the previous quarter but up 2% year-on-year. The story is more nuanced than the headline.We checked every PSC filing in the UK. One in five has errors or missing data.https://www.companypulse.co.uk/blog/psc-register-data-quality2026-02-03T00:00:00Z2026-02-03T00:00:00ZThe Persons of Significant Control register was meant to end hidden ownership. Nearly ten years on, we ran the numbers.