Companies Act 1985

Superseded UK company law

United Kingdom legislation
Companies Act 1985
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to consolidate the greater part of the Companies Acts
Citation1985 c. 6
Dates
Royal assent11 March 1985
Commencement1 July 1985
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Companies Act 1985 (c. 6) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, enacted in 1985, which enabled companies to be formed by registration, and set out the responsibilities of companies, their directors and secretaries. It has largely been superseded by the Companies Act 2006.

The Act was a consolidation of various other pieces of company legislation, and was one component of the rules governing companies in England and Wales and in Scotland. A company will also be governed by its own memorandum and articles of association.

Table A, which lays out default articles of association, was not included in the body of the Act, as it had been in all previous Companies Acts. Instead, it was introduced by statutory instrument - the Companies (Tables A to F) Regulations 1985.

The Act applied only to companies incorporated under it, or under earlier Companies Acts. Sole traders, partnerships, limited liability partnerships etc. were not governed by the Act.

Company law throughout the United Kingdom is now governed by the Companies Act 2006, which received Royal Assent on 8 November 2006, and which was commenced in stages between then and 1 October 2009.

Certain aspects of the Companies Act 1985 have not been replaced by the Companies Act 2006, and they will remain in force:

  • company investigations
  • orders imposing restrictions on shares following an investigation
  • Scottish floating charges and receivers.[1]

See also

  • Companies Act

References

  1. ^ BIS FAQ on what is left behind

External links

  • Text of the Companies Act 1985 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
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