Business deaths in England and Wales
Business deaths in England and Wales stood at 69,845 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 region | |||||||||||
| England and Wales | 69,845 | 75,795 | 59,440 | 57,255 | 68,470 | 76,410 | 61,850 | 58,350 | 68,325 | 78,475 | |
| Great Britain | 74,440 | 80,725 | 63,430 | 61,005 | 72,995 | 81,370 | 65,885 | 62,295 | 72,840 | 83,630 |
Understanding business deaths in England and Wales
Commercial cessations across England and Wales measure the quarterly tally of registered enterprises that have stopped trading within this combined territorial footprint. The count incorporates businesses identified through tax and employment markers as having become economically inactive during the period, encompassing various legal structures from limited companies to partnerships. This combined geography separates the two nations from Scotland and Northern Ireland while maintaining a distinct boundary from aggregate totals spanning the entire state.
Interpreting these figures necessitates caution regarding late notifications of business cessation, which frequently trigger subsequent revisions to initial quarterly estimates. Period-on-period comparisons reveal immediate directional shifts, though seasonal patterns in specific sectors can distort quarter-on-quarter movements. Analysts should note that these figures track active trading cessation rather than formal legal striking-off procedures handled by corporate registries.
Frequently asked questions
- Are Northern Ireland and Scotland included in this total?
- No, this measure is strictly confined to England and Wales.
- What defines a business death in this dataset?
- An enterprise is recorded as dead when it confirms zero employment and zero turnover across administrative tax records for a sustained period.
- Why do early estimates of business deaths get revised?
- Late administrative returns and updated tax data require statistical authorities to adjust initial closure counts in subsequent releases.