Civil forfeiture – Account Freezing Orders are on the rise again
Last financial year 1,090 Account Forfeiture Orders were made, with a total value of £62.6 million. There must be an Account Freezing Order in place for an Account Forfeiture Order to be possible. 2,182 Account Freezing Orders were made in the same period.
These statistics (published in September 2025, and linked below)[1] show an upward trend in the use of Account Freezing and Forfeiture Orders over the past four years; law enforcement authorities are using them more often.
From Freezing to Forfeiture
It is interesting to note that, of the 2,182 Account Freezing Orders obtained by law enforcement authorities last financial year, 1,090 (or very slightly under 50%) resulted in an Account Forfeiture Order being made. This is an increase on the previous year, and in terms of the actual sums involved, £221.6 million was frozen, of which £51.6 million was forfeited – a ‘success rate’ of just over 23%. This is analogous to the situation with police investigations, many of which do not result in a positive charging decision, let alone a conviction. This suggests that the authorities are willing to seek an Account Freezing Order even where the prospects of success are slim.
The Hidden Picture
The statistics do not show how many respondents (holders of frozen accounts, i.e.) had the benefit of legal representation, and whether forfeiture amounts are significantly higher where respondents are unrepresented.
This would be interesting information. Our experience is that clients who have delayed getting legal advice have worse outcomes than those who have not. The risks include the stress of the case being prolonged by trying to argue the unarguable, or by arguing a good case ineffectively. This can influence costs – these are civil proceedings, and the Court could order that the account holder must pay the enforcement authority’s costs at the end of the case.
Is Getting Legal Advice Worth It?
Receiving paperwork from the Court, or a law enforcement agency informing you that your account has been frozen is daunting. How do I respond? How do I dispute the evidence against me? When will I get my money back? Getting advice from a legal practitioner with experience in such cases will help you navigate these issues, and many more.
At Saunders Law, we have extensive experience and excellent reviews from clients who we have helped through the process of getting their funds unfrozen. For more information, please contact our Crime and Regulatory Department on 020 7632 4300.
About the author
Tom Airey frequently acts for clients in Frozen Account investigations and Account Forfeiture matters. This is a specialised area of law, with cases heard by the Magistrates’ Courts in the exercise of their civil jurisdiction. They often involve complex financial and factual evidence, requiring detailed analysis.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/asset-recovery-statistics-financial-years-ending-2020-to-2025/asset-recovery-statistics-financial-years-ending-2020-to-2025#civil-forfeiture-powers