WHITO GLOSSARY · MEASURED DEFINITIONS
A company struck off the Companies House register. It no longer legally exists, but its shadow lingers: 7 of 16 dissolved or liquidating firms were recommended again by the same AI engine.
The number: Dissolved Companies Still Recommended by AI.
What it means in practice
Dissolution ends the company, not its footprint. Old listings, old reviews and cached AI answers keep recommending firms that cannot legally take your money.
Check status, not just existence: a register entry marked dissolved or in liquidation is a no, whatever the website says.
Whito stage: Any stage. Use it before you sign anything.
The numbers to hold onto
- Business churn keeps the shadow population growing: 83,200 UK closures in one quarter. Where UK Businesses Close Fastest.
- 29% of trade names checked did not resolve to an active company. UK Trade Names Register Check.
Where to go next
Related: Business churn, Dead listing, AI recommendation audit