What is the business population of the UK?

As of January 2024, there were around 5.5 million private sector businesses in the UK. Just over 1.4 million of these have employees, and nearly 4.1 million have no employees (in other words, were self-employed or freelance workers).

How many businesses fail in the first year?

The latest UK business report found that approximately 20% of UK businesses fail in the first year.

What is the biggest business sector in the UK?

The biggest business sector by number of businesses in the UK is the services industry. In 2024, there were 870,185 businesses in the services industry, equating to almost a sixth (16%) of all companies in the UK. Following this, the professional and scientific industry has 754,940 businesses, representing around one in seven (14%) UK businesses.

How many SMEs in the UK fail in the first three years?

The most recent UK business statistics found that around 60% of start-up businesses will fail within the first three years of trading. Further, only a third (33%) of small businesses last at least 10 years.

What is the biggest business in the UK?

The latest UK business statistics found that AstraZeneca is the biggest UK business in terms of market cap, with an overall value of £186.59 billion as of March 2025. In terms of highest overall revenue, Shell comes out on top with earnings of £284.31 billion in 2024.

How to start a business UK?

Though starting a business for the first time may sound like a daunting task, you can be up and running quickly with the right idea, finances, and preparation. Before starting your business, you should spend considerable time identifying and researching your target market to ensure you can create a brand that appeals to the right people. Once you’ve done this, you’ll then need to begin planning and budgeting for key startup aspects like registration, marketing, and stock or manufacturing costs. Our business pages have expert advice on all aspects of the start-up process, from identifying a good business idea to budgeting and securing the right funding.

What is a business partnership UK?

A business partnership is a legal entity involving two or more people. Under a business partnership, you and your partner(s) share equal responsibility for profits, liabilities, and running costs. Unlike a limited company, partners in a business partnership are equally held personally responsible for any liabilities. This means that any payments not covered by business finances will be taken from personal finance and assets.

How much is business insurance in the UK?

The cost of business insurance can vary substantially depending on the size of your business, the industry, and the type of risks involved for employees during their day-to-day work. The average cost of public liability insurance in the UK was found to be £118 in 2022, with the average cost of employers’ liability insurance per office employee found to be £61. This increases to £213 for an employee carrying out physical work, such as construction.

How many women business owners are there in the UK?

The latest UK business statistics found that there were nearly 1.6 million female-owned businesses in the UK as of January 2023 – a rise of 76% from the same time 20 years ago.

According to the Government’s UK SME definition, a small to medium enterprise (or SME), is any organisation that has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than €50 million. SMEs are divided into three categories: micro (less than 10 employees), small (between 10 and 49 employees), and medium (between 50 and 249 employees).

Alumni Alumni is a graduate or former student of a particular school, university, or college. Average annual growth rate Average annual growth rate refers to the average annualised return of an investment, asset, or portfolio over time. Usually, the average annual growth rate compares the financial growth of a specific month against the figures of that same month one year before, to see how growth has increased or decreased over 12 months. Bounce Back Loan Scheme The Bounce Back Loan Scheme is a now defunct government scheme that helped small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, at a low-interest rate, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Business-to-business (B2B) sales Business-to-business (B2B) sales refers to the sales of goods or services from one business to another business. Business-to-customer (B2C) sales Business-to-customer (B2C) sales refers to the sales of goods or services from a business to a member of the general public. Buy-to-let incorporation A buy-to-let incorporation is a company set up to monitor the profit and taxes on a buy-to-let property, or collection of properties. Buy-to-let mortgage A buy-to-let mortgage is a mortgage bought by people for the purposes of renting out a property, rather than living in it. Commercial insurance Commercial insurance is taken out by a business to cover the value of assets, premises, or finances in the event of an accident or adverse event. Commercial loan A commercial loan is a form of debt-based funding in which a bank, or financial institution, lends money to a business. Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme is a now defunct scheme that helped small and medium-sized businesses access loans and other kinds of finance up to £5 million during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the scheme, the Government guaranteed 80% of the finance to the lender and paid interest and any fees for the first 12 months. Cost of living crisis A cost of living crisis is a situation in which the cost of everyday essentials like food and energy is rising much faster than average household incomes. Cyber insurance Cyber insurance is a type of commercial insurance designed to protect businesses from the financial effects of internet-based risks like data breaches or malicious cyber hacks. Founder In business terms, a founder is a person who starts up their own business. Gross lending Gross lending is the total amount of credits issued to banks during a specific accounting period. Limited company A limited company is a business owned by its members. There is limited liability, which means the company’s finances are separate from the personal finances of its owners, and creditors may only pursue the company’s assets to settle a debt. Sole proprietorship A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business with only one owner who pays personal income tax on profits earned. Liquidation Liquidation is the process of permanently closing a business and distributing its assets to claimants. Market cap Market cap is the total market value of a company's outstanding shares of stock. Ordinary partnership An ordinary partnership is one that is business owned or run by two or more people. No formal agreement is necessary, and partners share risks, costs and liabilities. Private sector business A private sector business refers to any for-profit business run by an individual or company that is not controlled by the state. Public liability insurance Public liability insurance is a type of commercial insurance that covers injuries and damage claims brought against a business by a third party. Professional indemnity insurance Professional indemnity insurance is a type of commercial insurance that covers a business against claims made by clients or third parties as a result of the impact of negligent services provided or negligent advice given.

UK Business Statistics 2025 - Business Facts and Stats Report

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