What do the UK business count statistics measure?

The dataset measures the number of active VAT-registered or PAYE-registered enterprises and local units in the United Kingdom, broken down by employment size band and annual turnover.

What employment size bands are tracked for UK businesses?

Businesses are classified into standard employment bands including micro (0 to 9 employees), small (10 to 49 employees), medium (50 to 249 employees) and large (250 or more employees).

What turnover bands are covered in the UK data?

Turnover categories range from under £50,000, £100,000 to £249,000 and £500,000 to £999,000 up to £10m to £50m across registered enterprises.

What separate information is published for businesses in Wales?

The Welsh Government provides enterprise counts, employee numbers and aggregate annual turnover in £m segmented across detailed employment size bands.

UK business counts by size and turnover

Name: UK business counts by size and turnover
Creator: Nomis — official labour market statistics (ONS); StatsWales — Welsh Government open data
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

How many businesses the UK has and how big they are: VAT or PAYE registered enterprises and local units by employment size band and by turnover band (ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis), and for Wales the number of enterprises with their employment and turnover by size band (Welsh Government).

Source: Nomis — official labour market statistics (ONS); StatsWales — Welsh Government open dataLast updated: Sep 28, 2026, 05:13Curated by Bui Thanh PhucAbout this data ↓

Indicator	2026	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003
United Kingdom (ONS, Nomis)3
Enterprises by employment size5
All sizes	2,786,985	2,734,615	2,724,770	2,726,830	2,767,700	2,765,150	2,749,700	2,718,435	2,669,440	2,668,810	2,554,510	2,449,415	2,263,645	2,167,580	2,149,185	2,080,860	2,100,370
Micro (0 to 9 employees)	2,484,365	2,437,850	2,428,740	2,428,885	2,476,210	2,480,140	2,462,410	2,431,990	2,384,805	2,386,735	2,277,480	2,173,355	1,998,845	1,912,445	1,905,255	1,847,790	1,861,590
Small (10 to 49)	246,285	241,185	241,165	244,240	239,095	232,815	234,175	233,960	233,040	231,715	227,450	227,770	218,065	209,710	200,195	190,885	196,525
Medium (50 to 249)	44,875	44,170	43,580	42,795	41,820	41,655	42,395	42,000	41,380	40,530	39,890	38,940	37,655	36,505	34,960	33,555	33,605
Large (250 and over)	11,460	11,415	11,285	10,910	10,575	10,540	10,720	10,480	10,220	9,825	9,690	9,350	9,080	8,915	8,775	8,630	8,655
Local units by employment size5
All sizes	3,232,415	3,180,620	3,173,655	3,175,710	3,219,980	3,222,115	3,212,780	3,180,605	3,133,260	3,129,385	3,010,060	2,907,560	2,721,240	2,625,490	2,610,535	2,547,840	2,574,225
Micro (0 to 9 employees)	2,723,650	2,677,875	2,673,740	2,676,640	2,728,110	2,732,355	2,716,380	2,686,155	2,642,295	2,643,635	2,530,180	2,430,515	2,255,950	2,170,080	2,163,605	2,109,590	2,129,675
Small (10 to 49)	410,410	405,345	403,100	403,840	398,120	395,695	400,610	399,145	396,655	393,010	388,060	386,425	376,145	367,055	359,505	350,845	357,290
Medium (50 to 249)	85,295	84,520	83,940	82,685	81,360	81,785	83,315	82,845	81,970	80,510	79,700	78,685	77,335	76,635	75,795	75,740	75,450
Large (250 and over)	13,060	12,885	12,875	12,550	12,395	12,285	12,470	12,455	12,345	12,230	12,125	11,935	11,815	11,720	11,625	11,665	11,815
Enterprises by turnover band10
Under GBP 50,000	384,010	387,285	388,665	445,020	486,340	434,755	411,835	424,335	433,840	458,070	433,115	414,780	415,500	401,720	403,475	400,425	370,420
GBP 50,000 to 99,000	515,275	525,225	537,540	563,610	621,865	614,955	622,655	629,405	621,240	638,280	604,100	574,960	536,295	505,820	504,345	475,865	486,790
GBP 100,000 to 249,000	884,940	873,705	874,665	848,615	867,415	895,385	901,405	875,410	850,320	826,600	795,665	757,715	668,395	633,255	622,125	593,200	602,605
GBP 250,000 to 499,000	413,180	390,055	384,570	367,315	344,140	354,600	351,580	341,245	329,635	321,315	309,745	305,230	268,925	259,225	259,885	255,455	264,565
GBP 500,000 to 999,000	266,715	244,225	234,660	222,155	197,390	203,295	203,020	195,520	190,280	186,350	181,145	176,835	165,010	161,800	160,005	160,435	168,675
GBP 1m to 2m	142,550	137,320	133,550	123,995	110,960	115,100	113,960	111,655	108,895	106,970	103,920	100,335	95,385	93,660	91,495	90,530	95,570
GBP 2m to 5m	97,755	95,475	92,900	85,655	76,735	79,745	78,980	76,830	74,370	72,745	69,925	66,210	63,525	62,580	60,290	58,970	63,040
GBP 5m to 10m	37,325	36,775	35,445	32,100	28,430	30,555	30,090	29,340	28,080	27,350	26,620	25,055	23,685	23,310	22,175	21,345	22,865
GBP 10m to 50m	33,970	33,525	32,350	29,080	25,820	27,680	27,290	26,205	24,785	23,590	22,825	21,260	20,225	19,700	19,130	18,515	19,515
GBP 50m and over	11,260	11,020	10,430	9,285	8,605	9,085	8,880	8,490	7,995	7,540	7,450	7,035	6,695	6,510	6,260	6,115	6,330
Wales (Welsh Government)3
Number of enterprises16
All size bands		246,500	253,865	249,460	255,640	263,660	269,450	267,355	261,260	255,695	251,500	240,125	233,005	221,600	214,040	211,075	208,275	207,770	205,495	196,955	194,000	189,440	179,170	169,535
Micro (0 - 9 employees)		233,090	240,615	236,020	242,300	250,585	256,140	253,945	248,065	242,650	238,635	227,350	220,635	209,690	202,595	199,800	196,755	196,350	194,230	186,025	183,435	179,080	168,820	158,985
Small (10 - 49 employees)		9,430	9,280	9,545	9,475	9,185	9,370	9,485	9,365	9,265	9,095	9,130	8,740	8,300	7,875	7,780	8,020	7,905	7,730	7,425	7,065	6,895	6,945	7,200
Medium (50 - 249 employees)		2,255	2,250	2,210	2,200	2,205	2,210	2,215	2,155	2,105	2,115	2,050	2,030	2,015	1,965	1,910	1,880	1,910	1,925	1,880	1,890	1,840	1,825	1,735
Large (250+ employees)		1,730	1,720	1,685	1,665	1,690	1,730	1,705	1,675	1,675	1,655	1,595	1,595	1,590	1,600	1,580	1,620	1,605	1,615	1,625	1,615	1,620	1,580	1,615
0 employees		185,600	192,180	186,100	192,740	201,900	207,580	204,660	200,710	195,460	191,445	179,940	178,950	169,105	160,285	158,305	154,045	152,960	149,910	143,905	142,320	139,640	132,690	122,945
1 - 4 employees		36,015	36,710	37,675	37,705	37,270	37,020	37,295	36,175	36,260	36,340	35,955	31,075	30,520	32,135	31,810	32,765	33,460	34,875	32,890	32,105	30,570	27,845	27,830
5 - 9 employees		11,475	11,730	12,250	11,855	11,415	11,535	11,990	11,175	10,925	10,850	11,460	10,610	10,060	10,170	9,685	9,945	9,925	9,445	9,230	9,010	8,875	8,285	8,210
10 - 19 employees		6,210	6,065	6,175	5,995	5,805	5,930	6,075	5,945	5,855	5,775	5,855	5,645	5,375	5,125	5,095	5,270	4,910	4,755	4,435	4,155	4,020	4,080	4,740
20 - 49 employees		3,220	3,215	3,370	3,480	3,380	3,440	3,410	3,420	3,410	3,320	3,275	3,095	2,925	2,750	2,690	2,750	2,995	2,975	2,990	2,910	2,875	2,865	2,460
50 - 99 employees		1,310	1,330	1,265	1,240	1,260	1,255	1,265	1,220	1,185	1,185	1,145	1,135	1,120	1,100	1,065	1,070	1,075	1,085	1,070	1,065	1,050	1,005	980
100 - 199 employees		730	700	740	755	750	755	755	740	735	740	725	720	730	690	665	650	660	650	635	655	615	630	585
200 - 249 employees		215	225	205	205	195	200	200	190	190	185	180	175	165	175	180	160	180	190	170	165	175	190	170
250 - 499 employees		510	500	500	475	480	495	480	475	470	460	435	440	460	450	445	450	425	445	470	465	470	440	450
500 - 999 employees		390	385	385	385	390	400	395	370	365	360	335	355	335	365	365	355	350	350	345	355	365	375	405
1,000+ employees		830	835	800	805	820	835	830	830	840	835	825	800	800	785	775	815	830	820	805	795	785	760	765
Employment16
All size bands		1,146,400	1,158,300	1,152,100	1,146,000	1,155,000	1,180,200	1,182,800	1,161,400	1,144,100	1,126,600	1,100,500	1,060,900	1,040,000	1,021,000	1,002,600	1,018,600	1,040,300	1,029,200	1,003,700	989,000	974,400	933,600	918,500
Micro (0 - 9 employees)		377,800	390,200	388,400	394,800	402,500	410,600	412,400	400,400	393,600	389,300	381,800	362,300	346,100	342,600	335,200	335,900	339,000	335,500	322,000	318,500	311,000	292,800	285,400
Small (10 - 49 employees)		177,700	174,800	178,800	180,000	174,500	178,100	179,500	178,400	176,700	172,700	172,700	164,300	155,800	148,300	146,300	151,100	152,900	151,000	146,100	141,100	136,800	137,500	136,700
Medium (50 - 249 employees)		159,400	155,500	151,000	146,000	146,500	146,300	146,300	142,300	136,400	136,900	131,300	130,000	130,400	128,100	123,600	121,200	128,700	127,800	123,400	124,400	122,800	122,600	114,800
Large (250+ employees)		431,700	437,800	433,800	425,200	431,600	445,300	444,600	440,300	437,500	427,700	414,700	404,300	407,800	401,900	397,600	410,500	419,700	414,900	412,200	405,100	403,900	380,700	381,600
0 employees		199,900	207,900	200,100	208,300	219,800	227,200	224,700	220,600	214,900	209,900	198,300	198,200	186,500	177,800	175,100	170,900	172,500	168,700	163,000	162,300	159,000	152,000	141,900
1 - 4 employees		99,400	101,900	104,900	105,200	104,200	104,200	105,400	102,600	103,000	104,000	104,000	90,700	89,600	94,200	92,900	95,700	97,300	100,600	94,200	92,900	89,100	82,100	84,100
5 - 9 employees		78,400	80,500	83,400	81,300	78,500	79,200	82,300	77,200	75,700	75,400	79,500	73,400	70,000	70,600	67,200	69,300	69,200	66,200	64,900	63,400	62,800	58,600	59,400
10 - 19 employees		84,900	83,200	84,100	81,400	78,900	80,900	83,000	81,500	80,500	79,500	80,900	78,100	74,500	71,100	70,900	73,400	67,900	66,100	61,700	58,600	56,600	57,400	65,900
20 - 49 employees		92,700	91,600	94,700	98,500	95,500	97,100	96,500	96,900	96,300	93,100	91,800	86,200	81,200	77,200	75,400	77,700	85,000	84,900	84,400	82,400	80,100	80,100	70,700
50 - 99 employees		71,800	73,800	70,700	68,100	68,300	67,600	68,100	66,200	62,200	62,700	60,100	59,100	57,700	57,600	56,100	57,300	58,800	58,700	57,300	56,500	56,300	54,700	52,700
100 - 199 employees		64,600	59,000	59,000	59,200	59,500	60,700	59,000	58,200	57,500	58,000	54,600	55,300	57,200	53,400	49,700	48,900	51,400	49,500	50,600	51,900	49,000	50,700	47,500
200 - 249 employees		23,000	22,800	21,300	18,700	18,700	17,900	19,300	17,900	16,700	16,300	16,700	15,600	15,500	17,100	17,800	14,900	18,500	19,600	15,600	15,900	17,600	17,200	14,600
250 - 499 employees		57,900	58,900	60,300	55,000	55,200	55,800	54,200	52,700	51,500	48,200	45,700	45,100	47,300	43,900	43,400	46,800	46,100	48,500	54,300	54,600	53,600	54,300	53,000
500 - 999 employees		60,400	62,400	62,000	62,300	61,000	62,800	65,200	62,200	59,600	61,300	50,700	52,900	49,100	53,800	53,200	55,800	59,700	58,300	55,500	56,900	57,300	59,600	59,300
1,000+ employees		313,300	316,500	311,500	307,900	315,400	326,800	325,100	325,300	326,400	318,100	318,300	306,300	311,400	304,200	300,900	308,000	313,900	308,100	302,400	293,600	293,000	266,800	269,400
Turnover16
All size bands		148,538	149,768	126,241	116,389	131,107	131,962	126,403	119,063	117,133	117,012	118,946	116,705	115,695	102,869	94,693	103,598	96,097	89,932	84,689	79,942	74,984	71,195	70,080
Micro (0 - 9 employees)		24,424	24,116	21,801	20,322	20,029	20,662	19,859	20,071	20,128	19,285	17,637	16,567	16,434	16,065	16,040	16,997	16,472	16,247	15,904	15,540	14,893	13,666	12,694
Small (10 - 49 employees)		16,731	16,061	14,531	12,985	14,310	14,025	13,624	13,745	13,150	12,654	12,409	11,689	11,879	10,617	10,605	11,613	10,757	9,803	9,409	9,130	8,316	8,436	7,999
Medium (50 - 249 employees)		21,982	22,552	18,439	16,145	17,289	16,874	16,795	16,238	14,236	14,495	14,061	13,597	13,638	12,945	11,907	13,091	13,291	12,513	14,652	11,662	10,556	10,391	9,195
Large (250+ employees)		85,401	87,039	71,470	66,937	79,479	80,401	76,125	69,009	69,619	70,577	74,839	74,851	73,744	63,241	56,141	61,897	55,577	51,369	44,723	43,610	41,219	38,702	40,192
0 employees		8,102	8,160	7,459	7,147	6,954	7,594	7,333	7,196	6,746	6,749	6,403	6,292	6,137	5,625	5,675	6,067	5,803	5,830	5,894	5,723	5,584	5,218	4,422
1 - 4 employees		8,951	8,753	7,948	7,322	7,401	7,390	6,975	7,629	7,150	7,265	6,294	5,736	5,677	5,971	5,983	6,289	6,224	6,153	5,879	5,771	5,437	4,999	4,754
5 - 9 employees		7,370	7,203	6,394	5,853	5,674	5,678	5,551	5,245	6,231	5,271	4,940	4,539	4,620	4,470	4,381	4,641	4,444	4,263	4,131	4,047	3,872	3,449	3,519
10 - 19 employees		7,450	6,949	6,454	5,267	5,777	5,744	5,810	5,992	5,476	5,439	5,405	5,154	5,079	4,803	4,992	5,254	4,380	4,003	3,731	3,516	3,294	3,577	3,940
20 - 49 employees		9,281	9,111	8,077	7,718	8,533	8,281	7,814	7,752	7,674	7,215	7,004	6,535	6,800	5,814	5,613	6,359	6,377	5,801	5,678	5,614	5,022	4,860	4,058
50 - 99 employees		8,731	9,119	7,896	6,970	7,120	7,028	6,890	7,006	6,197	5,934	5,596	5,573	5,440	4,980	4,723	5,076	5,229	4,841	7,551	4,335	4,022	4,013	3,848
100 - 199 employees		9,703	10,004	8,004	7,053	7,682	7,667	7,398	7,136	6,037	6,645	6,952	6,548	6,312	6,006	5,346	6,307	6,551	5,831	5,528	5,821	4,868	4,663	4,055
200 - 249 employees		3,548	3,429	2,540	2,122	2,488	2,179	2,507	2,095	2,002	1,917	1,513	1,476	1,887	1,959	1,838	1,707	1,511	1,842	1,573	1,506	1,667	1,715	1,292
250 - 499 employees		7,454	7,056	7,344	6,669	7,105	6,900	6,659	6,150	6,280	6,090	5,730	6,715	8,653	6,961	6,955	8,786	6,041	5,704	6,072	6,019	5,903	5,002	5,468
500 - 999 employees		28,995	31,205	19,398	18,114	11,322	23,242	20,637	17,422	16,576	20,238	25,272	23,629	21,430	15,027	6,793	6,834	7,113	6,395	6,216	5,772	5,655	5,050	4,764
1,000+ employees		48,952	48,778	44,728	42,154	61,052	50,259	48,829	45,437	46,763	44,249	43,837	44,507	43,661	41,253	42,393	46,277	42,423	39,270	32,435	31,819	29,661	28,650	29,961

Latest reading

All sizes stood at 2,786,985 Businesses in 2026. That is +1.9% from 2025. The series on this page is annual and runs from 2010 to 2026. Source: Nomis — official labour market statistics (ONS); StatsWales — Welsh Government open data.

Latest: 2,786,985 Businesses; 2026
vs previous period: +1.9%; 2025

About this data

Frequently asked questions

What do the UK business count statistics measure?: The dataset measures the number of active VAT-registered or PAYE-registered enterprises and local units in the United Kingdom, broken down by employment size band and annual turnover.
What employment size bands are tracked for UK businesses?: Businesses are classified into standard employment bands including micro (0 to 9 employees), small (10 to 49 employees), medium (50 to 249 employees) and large (250 or more employees).
What turnover bands are covered in the UK data?: Turnover categories range from under £50,000, £100,000 to £249,000 and £500,000 to £999,000 up to £10m to £50m across registered enterprises.
What separate information is published for businesses in Wales?: The Welsh Government provides enterprise counts, employee numbers and aggregate annual turnover in £m segmented across detailed employment size bands.