Backlog of 100,000 uncollected parking penalties at bankrupt NCP

There are reports that NCP’s collapse into administration has left a very large backlog of unpaid private parking charges, but those penalties remain legally enforceable in principle even though the company is insolvent.

What has happened to NCP?

National Car Parks (NCP), the UK’s largest private car park operator, went into administration in March 2026 after years of declining usage, high costs, and mounting debts. Administrators from PwC were appointed and are attempting to sell parts of the business while closing unprofitable sites and transferring others to new operators.

Uncollected parking penalties

Media and consumer coverage note that many private parking charge notices (PCNs) issued by NCP remain unpaid, creating a large backlog of uncollected penalties as the firm has collapsed. While exact figures vary by report, these backlogs can easily run into the tens of thousands of tickets nationally when a major operator with 300+ sites fails.

Are the penalties still valid?

PwC has stated that private parking penalties issued by NCP remain valid despite the administration. This means drivers can still be pursued for payment where the charge was lawfully issued and compliant with the relevant private parking codes and consumer law.

How might they be enforced?

In administration, outstanding PCNs become assets of the insolvent estate, and the administrators can continue collection, sell the debt book to a third-party debt purchaser, or let some cases lapse depending on cost–benefit and legal risk. Any civil court claims must still comply with pre‑action protocols, contract law, and protection of consumers from unfair terms and practices.

What this means for motorists

For motorists with outstanding NCP tickets, the default assumption should be that they are still liable unless the ticket was defective or improperly issued. However, practical enforcement may be patchy, and some lower‑value or older cases may not be actively pursued if the economics do not justify it.