http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/45/section/176Insolvency Act 1986An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to company insolvency and winding up (including the winding up of companies that are not insolvent, and of unregistered companies); enactments relating to the insolvency and bankruptcy of individuals; and other enactments bearing on those two subject matters, including the functions and qualification of insolvency practitioners, the public administration of insolvency, the penalisation and redress of malpractice and wrongdoing, and the avoidance of certain transactions at an undervalue1986-07-25texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-02-02Expert Participation2026-02-02 Insolvency Act 1986ActThe Insolvency (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2017Sch. 3 para. 1reg. 1(1)Insolvency Act 1986s. 41HB(2)Smart Meters Act 2018s. 1(3)(b)s. 14(2)Insolvency Act 1986ActThe Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (Saving and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2022Rheoliadau Deddf Rhentu Cartrefi (Cymru) 2016 (Darpariaethau Arbed a Darpariaethau Trosiannol) 2022RegulationsInsolvency Act 1986Sch. 6 para. 13(2)(za)Employment Rights Act 2025Sch. 2 para. 1s. 159(3) Part IVChapter VIII1761This section applies where a company is being wound up by the court in England and Wales, and is without prejudice to section 128 (avoidance of attachments, etc.).2Subsection (2A) applies where—aany person (whether or not a landlord or person entitled to rent) has distrained upon the goods or effects of the company, orbHer Majesty's Revenue and Customs has been paid any amount from an account of the company under Part 1 of Schedule 8 to the Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (enforcement by deduction from accounts),in the period of 3 months ending with the date of the winding-up order.2AWhere this subsection applies—ain a case within subsection (2)(a), the goods or effects, or the proceeds of their sale, andbin a case within subsection (2)(b), the amount in question,is charged for the benefit of the company with the preferential debts of the company to the extent that the company's property is for the time being insufficient for meeting those debts.3Where by virtue of a charge under subsection (2A) any person surrenders any goods or effects to a company or makes a payment to a company, that person ranks, in respect of the amount of the proceeds of sale of those goods or effects by the liquidator or (as the case may be) the amount of the payment, as a preferential creditor of the company, except as against so much of the company’s property as is available for the payment of preferential creditors by virtue of the surrender or payment.S. 176 applied (with modifications) (17.2.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 21.2.2009) by Banking Act 2009 (c. 1), ss. 103, 263(1)(2) (with s. 247); S.I. 2009/296, arts. 2, 3, Sch. para. 2Pt. 4 (ss. 73-219) modified by Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (c. 46, SIF 27), ss. 21(2), 25Pt. 4 modified by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987 (c. 41, SIF 39:1), ss. 30(6), 35(4), 47(4)(a)Pt. 4 modified by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 86(5), 123, Sch. 8 para. 16 Pt. 4 modified (1.2.1993) by Friendly Societies Act 1992 (c. 40), s. 23, Sch. 10 para. 1(a) (with ss. 7(5), 93(4)); S.I. 1993/16, art. 2, Sch.3 (as amended (13.3.2018) by S.I. 2018/208, regs. 1(3), 3) Pt. 4 modified (E.W.S.) (31.3.1996) by 1995 c. 20, s. 110(1), Sch. 4 para. 3(4); S.I. 1996/517, art. 3(2) (subject to transitional provisions and savings in arts. 4-6, Sch. 2) (which modifying Act was itself repealed (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 40, ss. 6(1), 7(2), Sch. 5 (with Sch. 3, paras. 3, 16))Pt. 4 modified (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 43, ss. 44, 50(2), Sch. 2 para. 3(4)Pt. 4 modified (24.3.2003) by 2002 c. 29, ss. 426(8), 458(1)(3); S.I. 2003/333, art. 2, Sch. (subject to arts. 3-13 (as amended by S.I. 2003/531, arts. 3, 4))Pt. 4 (ss. 73-219) extended (with modifications) by Building Societies Act 1986 (1986 c. 53), ss. 54(3)(a)(5)(a), 90, 126(3), Sch. 15 (as amended (13.3.2018) by S.I. 2018/208, regs. 1(3), 2(2))Pts. 1-7 (ss. 1-251) applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/1276, arts. 2, 3Pt. 4 (ss. 73-219) applied (with modifications) (1.2.1993) by Friendly Societies Act 1992 (c. 40), ss. 21(1), 22, 23, Sch. 10 para. 1(a) (with ss. 7(5), 93(4)); S.I. 1993/16, art. 2, Sch. 3Pt. 4 applied (with modifications) (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, art. 8(4)(5)(8)(9) (as amended (1.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/1516, art. 4)Pt. 4 applied (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, art. 10(2)(3)(6), Sch. 4 Pt. II, Sch. 7 (as amended (1.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/1516, art. 5)Pt. 4: power to apply or incorporate conferred (6.4.2001) by 2000 c. 12, s. 14(1); S.I. 2000/3316, art. 2Pt. 4: power to apply (with modifications) conferred (20.11.2003) by Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c. 43), ss. 25(6), 26Pt. 4: power to apply (with modifications) conferred (E.W.) (1.3.2007) by National Health Service Act 2006 (c. 41), ss. 54(8), 55, 277First Group of Parts (Pts. 1-7) applied (with modifications) (15.12.2006) by The Banks (Former Authorised Institutions) (Insolvency) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3107), art. 3, Sch. (as amended (1.4.2013) by S.I. 2013/472, art. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 117; and (13.3.2018) by S.I. 2018/208, regs. 1(3), 11Pt. 4 amended (1.12.2001) by 2000 c. 8, s. 371(2)(b); S.I. 2001/3538, art. 2(1)Pt. 4 (except s. 185) modified (S.) (prosp.) by Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3), ss. 45(5), 227(3) (subject to s. 45(1) and with ss. 45(6), 223)Pt. 4 applied (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, art. 10(2)(3)(6), Sch. 4 Pt. II, Sch. 7 (as amended (1.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/1516, art. 5 and (1.1.2015) by S.I. 2014/3486, arts. 1(2), 14 (with art. 3))S. 176(2)(2A) substituted for s. 176(2) (18.11.2015) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (c. 33), Sch. 8 para. 30(2)Word in s. 176(3) substituted (18.11.2015) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (c. 33), Sch. 8 para. 30(3)Word in s. 176 heading inserted (18.11.2015) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (c. 33), Sch. 8 para. 30(4)Pt. 4 applied (with modifications) (S.) by S.S.I. 2001/128, reg. 4, Schs. 2, 3) (as modified) (temp.) (retrospective to 27.4.2020) by Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (c. 12), Sch. 10 paras. 8(1)(2), 14 (with ss. 2(2), 5(2))Pt. 4 modified (26.6.2020) by Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (c. 12), ss. 12, 49(1) (with ss. 2(2), 5(2))Pts. 1-4 applied (with modifications) in part (E.W.) (2.1.2013) by The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolution) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/3013), reg. 1, Sch. para. 1 (as amended (26.6.2020) by Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (c. 12), s. 49(1), Sch. 3 para. 49(3) (with ss. 2(2), 5(2)); (7.7.2020) by S.I. 2020/710, regs. 1, 4 (with reg. 6) (which affecting legislation is revoked and this amendment reversed (13.8.2020) by S.I. 2020/856, regs. 1(2), 2); and (13.8.2020 immediately after the coming into force of S.I. 2020/856, reg. 2) by S.I. 2020/856, regs. 1(3), 5 (with reg. 7))Pts. 1-4, 6, 7 applied to limited liability partnerships (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (6.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1090, reg. 5, Schs. 3, 4 (as amended (4.3.2004) by S.I. 2004/355, art. 10; (1.10.2005) by S.I. 2005/1989, reg. 3, Sch. 2 (with reg. 4); (8.12.2017) by S.I. 2017/1119, reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pts. 2, 3; (temp.) (retrospective to 27.4.2020) by Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (c. 12), Sch. 10 paras. 8(1)(2), 14, Sch. 12 para. 6 (with ss. 2(2), 5(2); (26.6.2020) by S.I. 2020/643, reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 2); (26.6.2020) by Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (c. 12), s. 49(1), Sch. 12 para. 6 (with ss. 2(2), 5(2), 14(4)); and (16.2.2021) by S.I. 2021/60, reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 3(2)))Pts. 1-4 applied (with modifications) (8.7.2021) by The Payment and Electronic Money Institution Insolvency Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/716), reg. 2, Sch. 1 para. 3 (with reg. 5) (as amended (4.1.2024) by S.I. 2023/1399, regs. 1(2), 4)S. 176 applied (with modifications) (8.7.2021) by The Payment and Electronic Money Institution Insolvency Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/716), regs. 2, 37 (with reg. 5) (as amended (4.1.2024) by S.I. 2023/1399, regs. 1(2), 4, 11)