Number of UK businesses in financial distress 'at two-decade high'

• A record 738,144 UK businesses were in significant financial distress in the third quarter, the highest since BTG's red flag report began in 2004. • Support services (118,695), construction (108,340) and real estate (99,908) had the most firms in distress. • Bars and restaurants in distress rose 5% this year to 18,866, while struggling food and drug retailers rose more than 7% to 19,269. • BTG also found businesses still owed £27.3bn in tax arrears to HMRC at the end of August, ahead of Wednesday's budget.