11 Oct 2017
A survey carried out by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has suggested that the number of businesses declaring insolvency could potentially rise as a result of the impact of Brexit on the UK economy.
The survey revealed that 73% of individuals working in the insolvency and business restructuring industry believe that Brexit poses the ‘biggest threat’ to businesses over the coming years. Meanwhile, 56% of those surveyed also believe that a rise in interest rates presents a risk to UK businesses.
The survey suggested that the retail sector could be the worst affected by insolvency, with 77% of respondents believing that it would be the sector most likely to experience ‘increased financial difficulty’.
Affected firms should seek early help in a bid to restructure their finances, business processes or management, the ICAEW stated.
Reflecting on the issue, Bob Pinder, Regional Director at the ICAEW, said: ‘We are in no doubt that businesses in the UK face difficult times ahead. A sharp and unexpected rise in the cost of doing business can make managing liquidity tough.
‘We believe that a change in attitudes is critical in order to successfully avoid substantially increased corporate insolvencies – confronting business issues, rather than being ashamed of them.’