Winding-up petition timeline tool
A winding-up petition can be advertised in The Gazette no sooner than seven business days after it is served, and advertisement usually triggers the bank to freeze the company account. The gap between being served and the advertisement is the most valuable time you have, so enter your dates to see it.
Your key dates
Indicative timing based on the seven-business-day advertisement rules (Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016, r7.10), counted as clear days. Business days skip weekends, Christmas Day, Good Friday and any bank holiday in England, Wales or Scotland (Insolvency Act 1986, s251; gov.uk bank holidays). Your exact position depends on the court and creditor. Take advice immediately.
Source: The Gazette; Insolvency Act 1986, s127. Every other deadline in the process, with its rule: winding-up petition statutory timeline.
The winding-up petition timeline
Knowing where you are on it tells you how urgently to act.
- Statutory demand21 days to pay (debt over £750)
- Petition servedDay 0
- Advertised in The GazetteNo sooner than 7 business days after service
- Bank account frozenAt advertisement (s127 risk)
- Court hearingA few weeks after presentation
Indicative statutory timing; your exact dates depend on the court and creditor.
Sources: the £750 debt and 21 days, Insolvency Act 1986 s123; advertisement no sooner than 7 business days after service, Insolvency Rules 2016 r7.10; payments after presentation void unless validated, s127.
Why the advertisement date matters
The petition must also be advertised at least seven business days before the court hearing. Banks usually freeze the account at advertisement because section 127 of the Insolvency Act can make payments out of the company void once the petition has been presented. Before then you can still take advice, pay or dispute the debt, or move to a controlled procedure.
Common questions
When does a winding-up petition get advertised?
A petition can be advertised in The Gazette no earlier than seven business days after it is served on the company, and at least seven business days before the hearing. Advertisement is the trigger for most bank account freezes.
When will my bank freeze the company account?
Usually once the petition is advertised, because payments made after the petition is presented can be void under section 127 of the Insolvency Act. Banks freeze accounts to protect themselves. A practitioner can sometimes obtain a validation order for essential payments.
How long do I have before the hearing?
The hearing date is stated on the petition. There is often a few weeks between service and the hearing, but the bank freeze can bite within days of advertisement, so treat the whole period as urgent.
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