A plain-English guide
What actually happens after a winding-up petition
The process, step by step. This is general information about a public court process — it is not advice about your situation.
A winding-up petition is a formal request to the court — usually by a creditor such as HMRC — to close a company down. The process runs on a fixed legal timetable, and understanding that timetable matters, because the options available to a company shrink at each stage.
1. The petition is presented at court
The creditor files the petition. From this moment the clock is running: the law treats any winding-up that follows as having started on this day, which is one reason payments a company makes afterwards can later be reversed.
2. It is served on the company
The petition is delivered to the registered office. At this stage it is not yet widely known — and companies here typically have the widest range of options: disputing the debt, negotiating with the creditor, arranging payment, or taking formal advice on rescue or an orderly close.
3. It is advertised in The Gazette
At least seven business days after service, the petition must be advertised publicly. This is the moment things change: banks watch the Gazette and often freeze the company's account — meaning wages and suppliers suddenly cannot be paid. A court order can permit specific payments to continue; that is a matter for a solicitor.
4. The hearing
At least seven further business days later, a judge hears the petition. It can be opposed, withdrawn (for example if the debt is settled), adjourned — or a winding-up order is made.
5. The order
If the order is made, a liquidator is appointed and the directors' powers end. At that point the "save the company" conversation is over — which is why every professional in this field says the same thing: the earlier advice is taken, the more can be done.
The honest summary
Between service and advertisement there is a quiet window — usually a week or two — in which the difficulty is not yet public, the account still works, and regulated professionals have the most to work with. The single most useful thing a director can do, at any stage, is speak to a regulated professional promptly.