A company strike-off results in the company ceasing to legally exist. There are two types: voluntary (DS01 application by directors) and compulsory (initiated by Companies House, usually for failure to file accounts or confirmation statements).
For a voluntary strike-off, the company must not have traded or changed its name in the last 3 months, must not be subject to any legal proceedings, and must not have outstanding debts. Directors apply by filing form DS01 with Companies House, paying a £10 fee.
Compulsory strike-off occurs when Companies House has reason to believe a company is no longer carrying on business. This typically happens after repeated failure to file annual accounts or confirmation statements. A notice is published in The Gazette, and if no objections are received within 2 months, the company is dissolved.
BORSCH.AI tracks company status changes including strike-off proceedings, gazette notices, and dissolution events across 5.9 million UK companies. Companies in strike-off proceedings are flagged with elevated risk scores.