A mammoth 149 UK companies filed for administration in the last month of 2025, spanning retailers, manufacturers and regional employers. The trend, which has put thousands of jobs at risk, also proliferated right across the country, with our map showing the locations of the impacted businesses, stretching from the south England coast right up to the tip of northern Scotland. Unsurprisingly, the largest gaggle of collapsed firms were based in London, and ranged from the Meraki Restaurants group to real estate business Arinium.

Last month's administration announcements followed the Government's second Budget, which outlined a planned increase to the national minimum wage, cap on salary sacrifice arrangements and frozen tax thresholds. EML, a Peterborough-based contractor specialising in commercial and industrial electricty work, was among the firms shutting up shop in December, and blamed the decision on "strong economic headwinds" and a "subdued" market outlook. Use the map below to check which businesses entered administration in your area.

Toolstream, which distributed hand tools, power tools and workwear to retailers, wholesalers and merchants, similarly collapsed after a period of decline following the Covid supply crisis, according to administrators.

Retailers including L K Bennett were similarly forced to enter insolvency, with the UK-based fashion chain's collapse impacting nine stores and 13 concessions.

Figures from Companies House showed that the number of solvent businesses entering liquidation surged during the 2024-2025 tax year.

Multiple big-name firms also came close to administration before being bought out. Claire's, Hobbycraft and WHSmith were all bought by Modella Capital and Poundland narrowly avoided collapsing after a turnaround plan was approved days before its coffers ran dry.

The sector most hit by administration filings in 2025 as a whole was retail, according to data from the Gazette Official Public Record, rising 24% year-on-year.

Hospitality, manufacturing, real estate and construction were among the other worst-hit sectors, collectively amounting to 56% of all administrations.

Shadow chancellor Mel Stride accused Rachel Reeves of "costing Britain jobs" through her economic policies last year.

"Businesses couldn't be clearer," he told the Commons. "Labour's tax-and-spend agenda is already costing Britian jobs. When you punish employers, you punish workers - and working people are paying the price."

Ms Reeves has insisted that Labour has "the right plan for our economy to bring growth and prosperity in all the parts of the country that we need".