Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Rules may be cited as the Insolvency (England and Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026.

(2) These Rules extend to England and Wales only.

(3) These Rules come into force on 22nd June 2026.

Amendments to the Insolvency Rules 2016

2. The Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016(2) are amended as follows.

3. In rule 1.2 (defined terms)—

(a)for the definition of “judge”, substitute ““judge” means an appropriate judge in accordance with any relevant Practice Direction;”;

(b)in the definition of “Practice Direction” after “the CPR” insert “and includes any practice direction on insolvency proceedings”;

(c)omit the definition of “registrar”.

4. In rule 1.45 (electronic delivery of documents), after paragraph (6) insert—

“(7) Electronic delivery does not include delivery by fax.”.

5. In rule 1.46—

(a)for the heading, substitute “Electronic delivery of documents to or by the court”; and

(b)after paragraph (2), insert—

“(3) Where these Rules require more than one copy of a document to be delivered to the court, or by the court to a party, and the document is delivered electronically, only one copy is to be delivered.”.

6. In rule 3.20 (appointment taking place out of court business hours: procedure)—

(a)in paragraph (1), omit sub-paragraph (a) and the “or” after it;

(b)in paragraph (3), omit “telephone number and”;

(c)in paragraph (4)—

(i)omit “telephone number and”;

(ii)for “them”, in both places where it occurs, substitute “it”;

(d)in paragraph (5), omit sub-paragraph (a) and the “or” after it;

(e)in paragraph (6), omit “fax transmission report or”;

(f)in paragraph (8), omit “faxed or”;

(g)in paragraph (9)—

(i)in sub-paragraph (a), omit “faxed or”;

(ii)in sub-paragraph (b), omit “fax transmission report or”;

(h)in paragraph (10), for sub-paragraph (a) substitute—

“(a)the date and time when, according to the appointer’s hard copy of the email, the notice was sent; and”.

7. In rule 3.21(1)(j)(ii) omit “fax transmission report or”.

8. In rule 3.22 (appointment taking place out of court business hours: legal effect)—

(a)in paragraph (2)(a), omit “fax transmission or”;

(b)in paragraph (3), omit “fax transmission report or”.

9. In rule 3.24(1)—

(a)in sub-paragraph (i)(ii), for “appointment; and” substitute “appointment.”;

(b)omit sub-paragraph (j).

10. In rule 3.25(2)—

(a)in sub-paragraph (j)(ii), for “administrator; and” substitute “administrator.”;

(b)omit sub-paragraph (k).

11. In rule 8.24(2)(c) (report of the creditors' consideration of a proposal), for “main, territorial or non-EU proceedings” substitute “COMI proceedings, establishment proceedings or proceedings to which the EU Regulation as it has effect in the law of the United Kingdom does not apply”.

12. In rule 9.4 (delivery of application), omit paragraph (4).

13. In rule 10.11(1)(a) and (b) (court in which petition is to be presented), for “£50,000” substitute “£500,000”.

14. In rule 10.36 (procedure for making a bankruptcy application and communication with the adjudicator), omit paragraph (5).

15. In rule 10.87 (vacation of office on completion of bankruptcy (sections 298(8) and 331)), for paragraph (3)(f) substitute—

“(f)that the trustee will vacate office under section 298(8) when, after the end of the prescribed period, the trustee—

(i)files with the court a notice that the trustee has given notice to the creditors under section 331, where the bankruptcy is based on a creditor’s petition; or

(ii)delivers to the official receiver a notice that the trustee has given notice to the creditors under section 331, where the bankruptcy is based on a debtor’s application; and”.

16. In rule 12.2 (performance of functions by the court)—

(a)in paragraph (1), for “judge, District Judge or a registrar.” substitute “judge.”;

(b)in paragraph (2), for “The registrar or District Judge” substitute “A judge”.

17. In rule 12.30(7) (general power of transfer)—

(a)in the opening words for “by—” substitute “by a judge.”; and

(b)omit sub-paragraphs (a) and (b).

18. In rule 12.34(5) (consequential transfer of other proceedings), for “registrar”, in both places it occurs, substitute “judge”.

19. In rule 12.37 (application for a block transfer order)—

(a)in paragraph (1), for “the registrar or District Judge” substitute “a judge”;

(b)in paragraph (7)(c), for “registrar or District Judge” substitute “judge”.

20. In rule 12.38 (action following application for a block transfer order)—

(a)in paragraph (1), for “The registrar or District Judge”, in the first place where it occurs, substitute “A judge” and in the second “the judge”;

(b)in paragraph (2), in the opening words for “the registrar or District Judge” substitute “a judge”;

(c)in paragraph (2)(d), for “the registrar or District Judge or a judge of the Chancery Division.” substitute “a judge.”.

21. In rule 12.40(3) (office copies of documents), for “registrar or District Judge” substitute “judge”.

22. In rule 13.2(2) (persons entitled to act on official receiver's behalf), for “the registrar or District Judge.” substitute “a judge.”.

23. In rule 14.1(6), for “(4)” substitute “(5)”.

24. In rule 18.3(1), omit sub-paragraph (b).

25. In rule 18.30(2) (remuneration: exceeding the fee estimate), for sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c), substitute—

“(a)where the court fixed the basis, to the court;

(b)where there is a committee (unless the court fixed the basis), to the committee;

(c)in other cases where the creditors or a class of creditors fixed the basis, to the creditors or that class of creditors;”.