British tool supplier and 3 big UK companies plummet into administration
British tool supplier and 3 more major UK companies plummet into administration (Image: Getty)
With just two months into the year, 2026 has seen a staggering number of companies crash into administration, with some of them unfortunately leading to store closures. Claire’s, Game, The Original Factory Shop and Quiz clothing are just a handful of retailers that have made administration announcements since January.
The number of administrations in January 2026 was 41% higher than in December 2025 and 14% higher than in January 2025, according to UK Government figures. The rise suggests that industries are facing increasing challenges, as soaring costs and weaker consumer spending have created a difficult market environment. This week, a major tool supplier, a metal company, a haulage company and a charity have collapsed into administration, according to The Gazette, the UK’s official public record.
Read more: Martin Lewis’ Tesco Clubcard warning to millions of shoppers this weekend
Read more: Major supermarket sells Easter chocolate that’s ‘better than Cadbury Creme Eggs’
Miles Tool & Machinery Centre Ltd appointed administrators on February 25 (Image: Getty)
1. Miles Tool & Machinery Centre
Based in Yeovil, Somerset, Miles Tool & Machinery Centre Ltd has been selling hardware, paints and glass in specialised stores since 1970.
The business is a specialist supplier of tool accessories and tool spare parts, and also has a state-of-the-art repair workshop. The family business has sadly closed its website and appointed administrators on February 25.
The company appointed Richard Warwick and Rachel Hotham, both of Milsted Langdon LLP, Taunton, as joint administrators on February 23.
2. MTE Heat Treatment
Located in the heart of Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, MTE Heat Treatment confirmed that administrators were appointed to the business on Tuesday, February 24.
The company, made up of specialists with over 70 years of collective experience, focuses on enhancing the strength and durability of industrial metals.
The company promises metal treatments using “cutting-edge machinery” and “top-notch quality” overall.
Lee Van Lockwood and Gareth Harris, both of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP, have been appointed as joint administrators.
Ensure our latest lifestyle and travel headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Long-established Hampshire haulage firm W J Bennett & Son has fallen into administration (Image: Getty)
3. W J Bennett & Son
Long-established Hampshire haulage firm W J Bennett & Son has fallen into administration after insolvency practitioners were appointed by the High Court.
It has provided haulage services across the region, moving machinery, containers and other commercial loads.
W J Bennett & Son Ltd entered administration in February 2026 despite reporting positive net assets in its most recent accounts.
Control of the business has now passed to David Taylor and Paul Ellison of KRE Corporate Recovery Limited in Reading.
4. The Well Women Centre
The UK-based charity providing women with mental health support has collapsed into administration following “financial issues”.
The Well Women Centre in Wakefield appointed administrators on February 24, four decades after it was founded, to “support and empower” women in the West Yorkshire city.
A notice shared on the charity’s website blamed the cessation of activities on “financial issues”.
The news about the Well Women Centre follows plans by Cancer Research to close 88 stores by May 2026, citing long-term financial pressures and changing consumer behaviour.
