Search Legislation

Insolvency Act 1986

What Version

 Help about what version

Advanced Features

 Help about advanced features

Status:

Prospective version(s) available. Show Timeline of Changes Help about Status

Close

Status

The version on screen is currently in force, but there is a version available (prospective version) to show how it could change.

The prospective version will remain prospective until a date is appointed by an appropriate person or body to bring those changes into force.

To see the prospective version, use the Show Timeline of Changes feature under ‘Advanced Features’.

Commencement Orders listed in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ box as not yet applied may bring changes and effects in the prospective version into force.

Changes to legislation:

There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Insolvency Act 1986. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 436:

 Help about changes and effects
Close

Changes and effects

This section lists the changes and effects yet to be applied to the specific provision you are viewing.

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act, associated Parts and Chapters:

 Help about changes and effects
Close

Changes and effects

This section lists the changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act, associated Parts and Chapters where applicable. This includes any insertions of whole new Parts, Chapters or provisions yet to be inserted into this Act. These effects are included in this view as they may be (but won’t necessarily be) relevant to the specific provision that you are viewing.

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

Commencement Orders yet to be applied to the Insolvency Act 1986:

 Help about changes and effects
Close

Commencement Orders

This section lists the commencement orders yet to be applied to the whole Act. These effects are included in this view as they may be (but won’t necessarily be) relevant to the specific provision that you are viewing. Where applicable the commencement orders are listed under two headings, firstly those that bring some part of the Act you are viewing into force and secondly, those that bring into force legislation that affects some part of the legislation you are viewing. If you are viewing a prospective version or there is a prospective version available there may be commencement orders listed here that are relevant to the provision you are viewing.

Commencement Orders bringing legislation that affects this Act into force:

436 Expressions used generally.E+W+S

F1[(1)]In this Act, except in so far as the context otherwise requires (and subject to Parts VII and XI)—

  • [F2“agricultural charge” has the same meaning as in the M1Agricultural Credits Act 1928;

  • “agricultural receiver” means a receiver appointed under an agricultural charge;]

  • the appointed day” means the day of which this Act comes into force under section 443;

  • associate” has the meaning given by section 435;

  • [F3body corporate” includes a body incorporated outside Great Britain, but does not include—

    (a)

    a corporation sole, or

    (b)

    a partnership that, whether or not a legal person, is not regarded as a body corporate under the law by which it is governed;]

  • business” includes a trade or profession;

  • [F4the Companies Act” means the Companies Act 1985; ]

  • [F5the Companies Acts” means the Companies Acts (as defined in section 2 of the Companies Act 2006) as they have effect in Great Britain;]

  • conditional sale agreement” and “hire-purchase agreement” have the same meanings as in the M2Consumer Credit Act 1974;

  • [F2“corporate member” means an insolvent member which is a company;

  • “the court”, in relation to an insolvent partnership, means the court which has jurisdiction to wind up the partnership;]

  • [F6“the EC Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No. 1346/2000;]

  • [F7EEA State” means a state that is a Contracting Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993;]

  • [F8“employees' share scheme” means a scheme for encouraging or facilitating the holding of shares in or debentures of a company by or for the benefit of—

    (a)

    the bona fide employees or former employees of—

    (a)
    (i)

    the company,

    (ii)

    any subsidiary of the company, or

    (iii)

    the company's holding company or any subsidiary of the company's holding company, or

    (b)

    the spouses, civil partners, surviving spouses, surviving civil partners, or minor children or step-children of such employees or former employees.]

  • [F2“individual member” means an insolvent member who is an individual;

  • “insolvency order” means—

    (a)

    in the case of an insolvent partnership or a corporate member, a winding-up order; and

    (b)

    in the case of an individual member, a bankruptcy order;

  • “insolvency petition” means, in the case of a petition presented to the court—

    (a)

    against a corporate member, a petition for its winding up by the court;

    (b)

    against an individual member, a petition for a bankruptcy order to be made against that individual,

    where the petition is presented in conjunction with a petition for the winding up of the partnership by the court as an unregistered company under the Act;

  • “insolvency proceedings” means any proceedings under the Act, this Order or the M3Insolvency Rules 1986

  • “insolvent member” means a member of an insolvent partnership, against whom an insolvency petition is being or has been presented;

  • “joint bankruptcy petition” means a petition by virtue of article 11 of this Order;

  • “joint debt” means a debt of an insolvent partnership in respect of which an order is made by virtue of Part IV or V of this Order;

  • “joint estate” means the partnership property of an insolvent partnership in respect of which an order is made by virtue of Part IV or V of this Order;

  • “joint expenses” means expenses incurred in the winding up of an insolvent partnership or in the winding up of the business of an insolvent partnership and the administration of its property;

  • “limited partner” has the same meaning as in the M4Limited Partnerships Act 1907;

  • “member” means a member of a partnership and any person who is liable as a partner within the meaning of section 14 of the M5Partnership Act 1890;]

  • modifications” includes additions, alterations and omissions and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly;

  • [F2“officer”, in relation to an insolvent partnership, means—

    (a)

    a member; or

    (b)

    a person who has management or control of the partnership business;

  • “partnership property” has the same meaning as in the Partnership Act 1890;

  • “postponed debt” means a debt the payment of which is postponed by or under any provision of the Act or of any other enactment;]

  • property” includes money, goods, things in action, land and every description of property wherever situated and also obligations and every description of interest, whether present or future or vested or contingent, arising out of, or incidental to, property;

  • records” includes computer records and other non-documentary records;

  • [F2“responsible insolvency practitioner” means—

    (a)

    in winding up, the liquidator of an insolvent partnership or corporate member; and

    (b)

    in bankruptcy, the trustee of the estate of an individual member,

    and in either case includes the official receiver when so acting;

  • “separate debt” means a debt for which a member of a partnership is liable, other than a joint debt;

  • “separate estate” means the property of an insolvent member against whom an insolvency order has been made;

  • “separate expenses” means expenses incurred in the winding up of a corporate member, or in the bankruptcy of an individual member; and]

  • subordinate legislation” has the same meaning as in the M6Interpretation Act 1978; and

  • transaction” includes a gift, agreement or arrangement, and references to entering into a transaction shall be construed accordingly.

  • [F2“trustee of the partnership” means a person authorised by order made by virtue of article 11 of this Order to wind up the business of an insolvent partnership and to administer its property.

[F9(2)The following expressions have the same meaning in this Act as in the Companies Acts—

  • articles”, in relation to a company (see section 18 of the Companies Act 2006);

  • “debenture” (see section 738 of that Act);

  • “holding company” (see sections 1159 and 1160 of, and Schedule 6 to, that Act);

  • “the Joint Stock Companies Acts” (see section 1171 of that Act);

  • “overseas company” (see section 1044 of that Act);

  • “paid up” (see section 583 of that Act);

  • “private company” and “public company” (see section 4 of that Act);

  • “registrar of companies” (see section 1060 of that Act);

  • “share” (see section 540 of that Act);

  • “subsidiary” (see sections 1159 and 1160 of, and Schedule 6 to, that Act).]]

Annotations: Help about Annotation
Close

Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.

Amendments (Textual)

F1S. 436 renumbered as s. 436(1) (1.10.2009) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009, (S.I. 2009/1941) arts. 2(1), 8, {Sch. 1 para. 82(3)(a)} (with art. 10, Sch. 1 para. 84)

F2S. 436(1): definitions added (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, art. 2(1)(2)

F3S. 436(1): definition inserted (1.10.2009) by virtue of The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009, (S.I. 2009/1941) arts. 2(1), 8, {Sch. 1 para. 82(3)(b)} (with art. 10, Sch. 1 para. 84)

F4By virtue of The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009, (S.I. 2009/1941) arts. 2(1), 8, {Sch. 1 para. 82(3)(c)} (with art. 10, Sch. 1 para. 84) it is provided that the definition of "the Companies Act" is omitted

F6Words in s. 436 inserted (3.5.2002) by S.I. 2002/1037, reg. 4

F7In s. 436 definition of "EEA State" inserted (13.4.2005) by The Insolvency Act 1986 (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/879), reg. 2(3) (with reg. 3)

F8Words in s. 436(1) inserted (1.10.2009) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009, (S.I. 2009/1941) arts. 2(1), 8, {Sch. 1 para. 82(3)(d)} (with art. 10, Sch. 1 para. 84)

F9S. 436(2) inserted (1.10.2009) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009, (S.I. 2009/1941) arts. 2(1), 8, {Sch. 1 para. 82(3)(e)} (with art. 10, Sch. 1 para. 84)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 436 applied with modifications by S.I. 1986/1999, art. 3, Sch. 1 Pt. II

C2S. 436 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2001) by S.S.I. 2001/128, reg. 4(1), Sch. 2

C3S. 436 modified (6.4.2001) by S.S.I. 2001/128, reg. 4(2), Sch. 3

Marginal Citations

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules as a PDF

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act without Schedules

The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open Schedules only

The Schedules only you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made):The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources