What does struck off mean?
Strike-off is the removal of a company from the register through a statutory process. It can be voluntary, where an eligible company applies to be removed, or involuntary, where the registrar begins enforcement action for specified failures such as outstanding annual returns. The record may show notices and procedural stages before the final removal takes effect.
A strike-off warning is not the same as a completed dissolution. Outstanding filings may halt an involuntary process before removal. That is why a current company report and dated event sequence are more reliable than a screenshot, old email or undated statement that a company was 'being struck off'.
What does dissolved mean?
Dissolution is the point at which the company ceases to have legal existence. Official guidance distinguishes dissolution through strike-off from dissolution following liquidation, although both routes can bring the company to an end. A dissolved company cannot simply continue acting as if nothing happened.
For a counterparty, dissolution is a serious contracting and payment issue. Confirm who is requesting performance, whether the company has since been restored, and what legal entity is named on every document. Do not redirect a payment to a new entity or personal account without independent verification and appropriate authority.
- Check whether the displayed event is a notice, strike-off, dissolution or restoration.
- Compare the dissolution date with the date the obligation or invoice arose.
- Do not assume an old trading name represents a currently existing legal person.
- Keep a dated copy of the company record used for the decision.
Can a dissolved company be restored?
A company dissolved following strike-off may be restored. Current official guidance provides an administrative route where the company has been dissolved for no more than 12 months, subject to the conditions and filings required. After that period, restoration generally requires a court-order process. Restoration can remain possible for a much longer statutory period.
Restoration can affect how the company's existence is treated, but the details matter. A public timeline showing a later restoration should not be reduced to the statement that the company 'was dissolved once'. Review the full sequence, current status and any transaction that occurred during the dissolved period with professional advice.
What to do when a supplier is struck off or dissolved
Pause new purchase orders, credit increases and unverified payment changes. Ask the supplier to identify the exact contracting entity and provide current evidence. Independently verify bank details and authority using a trusted contact channel rather than the contact information contained only in a new payment request.
If the entity is in an early strike-off process, remediation may still be underway, but that does not remove your risk. If it is dissolved, treat legal identity and enforceability as specialist questions. Your response should reflect the transaction value, whether goods or services have already been delivered, and how reversible the payment is.