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    United Kingdom · guide for enterprises

    United Kingdom: a step-by-step guide for enterprises

    For companies with 250 or more staff at their peak that are in a formal insolvency process or have closed. Six steps, in order, from authority to a signed licence.

    Who decidesAdministrators and liquidators (licensed insolvency practitioners)
    This guide250 or more staff at their peak
    micro1 timingReview within 30 days, pay within 30 days of invoice
    Cost to youNothing from us

    Read the SME guide instead →

    1. 1

      Confirm who can sign

      In administration or liquidation, the officeholder controls the company's assets and decides whether to license its records. Get the authority in writing before you speak to any buyer.

    2. 2

      Check the company's status

      Companies House shows status, dissolution dates and officeholder appointments; The Gazette publishes insolvency notices. Once a company is dissolved, its remaining property generally passes to the Crown as bona vacantia (Companies Act 2006, s.1012).

    3. 3

      Map the records

      List each system, the years it covers and roughly how much it holds. Check the records are in English.

    4. 4

      Take people out

      Personal data stays covered by UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 whoever holds it. Employee and HR records are usually left out entirely.

    5. 5

      Run the fit check, then apply

      micro1 lists companies that are no longer operating, with 30+ peak employees and English records, in ten countries including United Kingdom company.micro1.ai/get-started · 15 Nov 2026. Our fit check takes two minutes.

    6. 6

      Review, take advice, sign or walk away

      micro1 says it reviews and approves the data within 30 days, then pays within 30 days of invoice. Take advice on the contract; you can stop at any point before signing.

    Tips for enterprises

    • Start with a data map: systems, owners, years, volumes and where personal data sits.
    • Carve out privileged, regulated and client-confidential material before any sample is prepared.
    • Plan phased samples by business unit rather than one large transfer.
    • Agree sign-off with the creditors' committee or the court where your process requires it.
    • Check outsourcing and cloud contracts: some vendors delete data soon after non-payment.

    Common pitfalls

    • Once a company is dissolved, its remaining property generally passes to the Crown as bona vacantia (Companies Act 2006, s.1012).
    • Sending a sample before a contract covers handling and confidentiality.
    • Leaving employee or customer personal data in the export.

    General information, not legal advice. Full United Kingdom rights guide →

    See if your company fits

    Built for enterprises in United Kingdom.

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