Risk & Economy » Regulation » Director disqualifications hit six year high in crackdown

Director disqualifications hit six year high in crackdown

Director bans have lengthened as the Insolvency Service cracks down on corporate wrongdoing, according to new research

The number of company directors receiving longer bans for corporate wrongdoing has hit a six-year high, according to new research.

The figures represent an ongoing crackdown on rule-breaking directors by the Insolvency Service, which handed out 573 director disqualifications lasting more than five years in 2016, the highest figure since 2010/11.

This rising number of longer bans is part of tougher enforcement action on issues including; repaying friends and family before others creditors, often HMRC; ‘phoenixing’ which is the transferring of assets to a new company to avoid repaying creditors; using company money for personal benefit; keeping a company trading while unable to pay its debts.

Director disqualifications can last up to 15 years in the most serious cases and prevent an individual from being involved on the management of a company.

Disqualified directors are also personally liable for the losses of aby business they are involved in while disqualified and may face criminal prosecution.

Mike Finch, partner at Moore Stephens, said: “The Insolvency Service is now tougher than ever on directors they can prove have broken the rules and left creditors out of pocket.

“This is particularly the case where the taxpayer is left short-changed by a company failing to pay its tax bills.

“Unpaid debt to HMRC is very easy and cheap to prove, meaning people are much less likely to get away with wrongdoing.

“Directors whose companies are in trouble need to make sure they are not tempted to break the rules in a misguided attempt to save jobs.

“They are more likely than ever to get found out and to severely damage their future prospects.”

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