http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/45/section/401Insolvency 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 Database2026-07-24Expert Participation2026-07-16 Part XIV Public Administration (England and Wales) Official receivers Deputy official receivers and staff. <CommentaryRef Ref="c15583711"/>4011The Secretary of State may, if he thinks it expedient to do so in order to facilitate the disposal of the business of the official receiver attached to any court, appoint an officer of his department to act as deputy to that official receiver.2Subject to any directions given by the Secretary of State under section 399 or 400, a person appointed to act as deputy to an official receiver has, on such conditions and for such period as may be specified in the terms of his appointment, the same status and functions as the official receiver to whom he is appointed deputy.Accordingly, references in this Act (except section 399(1) to (5)) to an official receiver include a person appointed to act as his deputy.3An appointment made under subsection (1) may be terminated at any time by the Secretary of State.4The Secretary of State may, subject to the approval of the Treasury as to numbers and remuneration and as to the other terms and conditions of the appointments, appoint officers of his department to assist official receivers in the carrying out of their functions.S. 401 applied with modifications by S.I. 1986/1999, art. 3, Sch. 1 Pt. IIPt. 14 (ss. 399-410) applied (with modifications) (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, arts. 8(4)(5)(8)(9), 10(2)(3)(6), Sch. 4 Pt. II, Sch. 7Pts. 12-19 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2014) by The Industrial and Provident Societies and Credit Unions (Arrangements, Reconstructions and Administration) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/229), arts. 1, 4(c), Sch. 3 (as amended (13.3.2018) by The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (Consequential Amendments, Savings and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/208), regs. 1(3), 15(4)(b); and (18.7.2020) by The Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions (Arrangements, Reconstructions and Administration) (Amendment) and Consequential Amendments Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/744), arts. 1, 8)Pts. 12-19 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(2)(a)(3)-(7) (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 The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolution) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/710), regs. 1, 4 (with reg. 6) (which affecting legislation is revoked and this amendment reversed (13.8.2020) by The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolution) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (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 The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolution) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/856), regs. 1(3), 5 (with reg. 7))Third Group of Parts (Pts. 12-19) 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 The Insolvency (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1119), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pts. 2, 3; and (16.2.2021) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/60), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 3(2)))Third Group of Parts (Pts. 12-19) 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)