This guide covers the main routes directors use to find a licensed Insolvency Practitioner, from directories and referrals to professional bodies, so you can contact one quickly, whether you need urgent support or you are forward planning.
The quickest way to find a licensed Insolvency Practitioner is through an online directory that lists practitioners by location and sector, allowing you to search by postcode and make direct contact.
While no director expects to need the services of an Insolvency Practitioner, when the need arises, it can be sudden and time-sensitive, whether that's due to a winding up petition being issued by a creditor or a sense that the numbers no longer add up. Whatever the trigger, the next question is usually how do I find an Insolvency Practitioner? If you have already found a practitioner and want confirmation that they are the right fit before you sign the letter of engagement and formally appoint them, read our article on how to choose the right Insolvency Practitioner.
This article covers the practical routes to sourcing an Insolvency Practitioner. Throughout this stage, make sure you contact licensed Insolvency Practitioners, rather than advisers offering unlicensed insolvency advice. We explain in another article why the distinction between a licensed Insolvency Practitioner and insolvency adviser matters, including the procedures only a licensed practitioner is legally permitted to do.
Search a licensed directory
The most direct route is an online directory of licensed Insolvency Practitioners. A good directory will let you:
- Search by postcode or town to find practitioners covering your area
- Filter by sector, if the directory highlights specialisms
- View practitioner profiles, including qualifications and experience
- Contact the practitioner directly by phone, callback request, or contact form
This is usually the fastest starting point, particularly if you need same-day insolvency advice. Our directory lists nearly 100 licensed Insolvency Practitioners across England and Wales, and you can verify a practitioner's licence directly from their profile for that extra peace of mind.
Our directory covers all these areas and captures information key to choosing a licensed Insolvency Practitioner, such as:
- Years of insolvency experience, so you can gauge how established a practitioner is before you get in touch, which is useful for complex insolvencies
- Professional qualifications, including designations such as ACCA, ACA, and CA, and the practitioner's grade of membership within these bodies, whether that's Member, Fellow, or a chair-level role
- Service expertise, such as corporate restructuring or pre-insolvency advisory
- Areas of speciality, such as cross-border insolvency, complex asset recovery, or highly regulated insolvencies like those under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) oversight
- Sector expertise, such as construction, hospitality, or retail
- Local and regional coverage, showing which offices and areas a practitioner serves
- Professional memberships, such as with R3 (The Association of Business Recovery Professionals)
This level of detail means directors can assess a practitioner's expertise, specialism, and regional coverage before they even make contact.
Check the professional body registers
Every licensed Insolvency Practitioner in England, Scotland, and Wales is authorised by a recognised professional body. This is the step that confirms a practitioner is properly licensed, rather than simply describing themselves as an insolvency specialist. You can search the registers of the IPA (Insolvency Practitioners Association), ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales), and ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland),
These registers confirm that a practitioner holds an insolvency licence, including the insolvency practice they work at. It is useful to cross-check this, regardless of which route you use to find a licensed Insolvency Practitioner.
Ask your accountant or solicitor
If you work closely with an accountant, solicitor or business adviser, they will often have worked with Insolvency Practitioners before and may be able to refer you to a personal contact. Professional recommendations usually work on a paid referral basis. As with any route, it's worth confirming that the person recommended is a licensed Insolvency Practitioner, rather than an unregulated adviser.
Search directly online
A straightforward search for Insolvency Practitioner near me or Insolvency Practitioner [location] will surface directories, individual firms, and professional body listings. When searching this way, it's worth checking that any practitioner or firm you find is listed on one of the professional body registers above before making contact.
In my experience, directors often wait too long because they don't know where to look. Whether you're searching a directory or asking your accountant for a recommendation, the important thing is making that first call and making sure the person on the other end is licensed to help.
A director once came to us for a quote, but went with a cheaper, unlicensed alternative to close his company. On the surface, the closure looked orderly. Months later, he was exposed to personal liability claims he couldn’t prevent as only a licensed Insolvency Practitioner carries that legal protection.
What to have ready when you make contact
Once you've found a practitioner or directory to contact, having a few basic details ready will help the conversation move quickly:
- Company name and company registration number (CRN)
- A brief description of the situation
- Whether the matter is urgent or you're planning ahead
- Current liabilities and assets, if known
- Breakdown of company creditors
The purpose of the call is to get clarity on your situation and the options available to you, which is what a licensed Insolvency Practitioner can advise you on. Most licensed Insolvency Practitioners offer a free initial consultation. This means there is no cost or obligation to commit when discussing your situation with an Insolvency Practitioner for the first time.
Find a licensed Insolvency Practitioner near you
To find a licensed Insolvency Practitioner near you, search our directory to connect with an experienced sector expert or explore our service pages to understand the options available to you. With a large network of licensed Insolvency Practitioners, we have experts across every service line and sector. If you’re unsure, contact our team for immediate advice and they’ll match you with a suitable Insolvency Practitioner.
When should a director seek professional advice?
For directors carrying significant tax arrears, whether that is an overdue VAT bill, a PAYE shortfall, or corporation tax that has been deferred since the pandemic, professional insolvency advice must be sought without delay.
The clearest trigger is correspondence from HMRC indicating that a Time to Pay arrangement is at risk, that a debt has been passed to a field force officer, or that a winding up petition is being considered. At any of these stages, speaking to a licensed Insolvency Practitioner is appropriate.
However, the directors who tend to achieve the best outcomes are those who seek advice before HMRC reaches that point. A licensed Insolvency Practitioner works with business directors carrying HMRC debt on a regular basis. They understand how HMRC operates, their appetite for debt negotiations, and how a company's tax position fits into its broader financial picture.
