Amendments to Insolvency Rules from 22 June 2026

Summary

With effect from 22 June 2026, there are amendments to insolvency rules. These amendments made by the Insolvency (England and Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026, will be welcomed by many.

These amendments to insolvency rules introduce a series of procedural updates aimed at modernising practice and improving efficiency for those involved in insolvency proceedings. This blog provides a summary of the key changes that have been introduced.

Amendments to insolvency rules – key changes

1 – Notice of Appointment – Removal of “Date and Time” Requirement

Rules 3.24 and 3.25 previously required the “date and time of appointment” to be included in the notice of appointment. Thereby imposing a level of detail that did not reflect appointments in practice.

Such a requirement caused a large degree of uncertainty over the particulars to be included. As a result, practitioners therefore tended to rely on judicial authority and case law when completing notices, often using standard form wording such as: “this appointment will take effect at the date and time specified below as the date and time when the notice is filed.”

This wording helped to address the misalignment between the Rules and practice; effectively filling a legislative gap until the Rules were updated to reflect modern practice.

Fortunately, this amendment brings the legislation into line with practice.

2 – Removal of ‘Fax’ & Substitution of ‘Judge’

The Rules have been updated to remove fax as a permitted method of communication, reflecting its now limited use in practice.

Another change made as part of wider modernisation of the Rules is the replacement of the term ‘registrar’ with ‘judge’.

While these changes are unlikely to have significant practical impact, they primarily serve to modernise the Rules and align them with current day-to-day procedures.

3 – Electronic Filing of Documents

To simplify procedure for court users and staff, Rule 1.46 has been amended so that, wherever the Rules previously required multiple copies of a document to be delivered to the court or by the court to a party, only a single copy is now required where delivery is made electronically.

4 – Office-holder Excess Fee Approval

Further clarification has been provided to Rule 18.30 regarding approval for an office-holder to exceed a fee estimate. From 22 June 2026, Rule 18.30 now dictates that the amendment provides that, where an office-holder seeks approval to exceed a fee estimate, the appropriate approval route depends on how the remuneration basis was originally determined.

If the court set the basis, approval must be sought from the court. Where a creditors’ committee exists and the court did not set the basis, approval must be obtained from that committee. In other cases, where the creditors or a class of creditors fixed the basis, to the creditors or that class of creditors. Accordingly, the amendment clarifies the applicable approval process.

5 – Increase in the Financial Threshold for Bankruptcy Petitions in the London High Court

Rule 10.11 has been amended so that the threshold for presenting a bankruptcy petition in the London High Court has been increased from £50,000 to £500,000. Bankruptcy petitions less than £500,000 will therefore now be dealt with by the County Court at Central London.

Amendments to insolvency rules – conclusion

The amendments to insolvency rules, while in part bridge the gap between practice and legislation, are nonetheless likely to be a welcome development for many, offering greater clarity and a more practical framework for those working with the Rules on a day-to-day basis.

If you would like to talk to a member of the Blake-Turner team regarding amendments to the insolvency rules from 22 June 2026, please contact us.