UK business deaths: all industries
UK business deaths: all industries stood at 76,840 Businesses in Q2 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Business births, deaths and companies table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 2017 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Business births, deaths and companies table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business deaths by industry | |||||||||||
| All industries | 76,840 | 83,570 | 65,815 | 63,185 | 75,330 | 84,145 | 68,145 | 64,290 | 75,515 | 87,240 | |
| Construction | 10,090 | 10,715 | 8,860 | 8,615 | 10,050 | 10,915 | 9,230 | 8,970 | 10,215 | 10,880 |
Understanding UK business deaths: all industries
Enterprise deregistrations and corporate closures across the United Kingdom are captured comprehensively within this headline tally, which aggregates all industry sectors. Unlike sibling series that isolate specific economic segments, this measure provides an economy-wide total of businesses that have ceased trading or fallen off administrative tax and regulatory registers. The count encompasses compulsory strike-offs, voluntary liquidations, and businesses whose turnover and employment indicators dropped below reporting thresholds.
Analysing these figures demands attention to the lengthy verification lag required to confirm a trading cessation, which means recent quarters are subject to upward revision. Seasonality is less pronounced here than in business births, though administrative batch-clearing by regulators can introduce quarter-to-quarter volatility. Researchers should exercise care when comparing this aggregate directly with insolvency figures, as administrative deregistrations often occur long after active trading has stopped.
Frequently asked questions
- What triggers a business death in this aggregate series?
- An enterprise is recorded as dead when it ceases to appear on administrative tax and employment registers or undergoes formal closure.
- Are voluntary liquidations the only cause of business deaths here?
- No, the total includes compulsory strike-offs, administrations, and businesses falling below administrative registration thresholds.
- Why are recent quarters subject to revision?
- Time is required for administrative systems to confirm that a business has permanently ceased trading rather than temporarily dormant.