How to check whether a company has a winding-up petition

Updated 30 September 2026. This guide describes what the public register shows; it is not legal, credit or tax advice.

Why petitions matter

A winding-up petition is a creditor asking the court to put a company into compulsory liquidation because it cannot pay its debts. It is the earliest public signal of serious trouble: it is advertised before the court hearing, before any liquidator is appointed, and before the company's status on Companies House changes. Banks often freeze a company's accounts once a petition is advertised, which is why many businesses stop paying everyone as soon as one appears.

Where petitions are published

Petitions against companies registered in England and Wales must be advertised in The Gazette (the official public record) at least seven working days before the hearing. Scottish petitions appear in The Edinburgh Gazette, Northern Irish ones in The Belfast Gazette; all three are searchable on the same website.

To check a company by hand: open thegazette.co.uk, search for the company's name or, better, its eight-character company number in quotes, and filter to the Corporate insolvency category. The notice type "Petitions to wind up (companies)" is the one to look for. A "Dismissal of winding-up petition" notice later means the court dismissed it, usually because the debt was paid or disputed.

What usually follows

1. Petition advertised. The company can pay, negotiate, dispute the debt, or apply for the petition to be dismissed.
2. Hearing. Typically six to ten weeks after the petition is presented. The court can dismiss, adjourn or make a winding-up order.
3. Winding-up order. The company is in compulsory liquidation. The Official Receiver takes control; a "Winding-up order" notice appears in The Gazette and the Companies House status changes to Liquidation some days later.

Why Companies House alone is not enough

Companies House records the outcome, not the warning. By the time its status says Liquidation the assets are already under the control of an office holder and unsecured creditors are at the back of the queue. The Gazette notice comes weeks earlier.

What to do if you find one against a customer

Stop extending credit, collect what you can, and keep records of what was owed and when. Payments a company makes after a petition is presented can be reversed by a liquidator if a winding-up order is later made, so be careful about accepting unusual payments or goods in lieu. If the amount is significant, take advice.