24. Liquidation and dissolution—winding up the insolvent company

Winding up or liquidation is the process by which the assets of the company are collected in and realised. This chapter concentrates on the winding up of insolvent companies. The discussion covers: voluntary winding up; compulsory winding up; consequences of the winding-up order; the role and powers of a liquidator; the anti-deprivation rule, proof of debts, and set-off; the order of distribution; and dissolution of the company. The chapter considers the differing types of winding up and, in particular, the ability to have a company wound up where it is unable to pay its debts. It examines the role of the liquidation in realising assets and making distributions to creditors. It considers in detail the order of distribution and the priority accorded to creditors including HMRC (following the expansion of preferential debts), floating chargeholders and unsecured creditors.