UK small enterprises: 10 to 49 employees
UK small enterprises: 10 to 49 employees stood at 246,285 Businesses in 2026, according to Nomis — official labour market statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Business population table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2010 to 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Business population table
| Indicator | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises by employment size | |||||||||||
| Small (10 to 49) | 246,285 | 241,185 | 241,165 | 244,240 | 239,095 | 232,815 | 234,175 | 233,960 | 233,040 | 231,715 | |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 44,875 | 44,170 | 43,580 | 42,795 | 41,820 | 41,655 | 42,395 | 42,000 | 41,380 | 40,530 |
Understanding UK small enterprises: 10 to 49 employees
Tracking the lower tier of established commercial expansion in the United Kingdom, this measure isolates enterprises maintaining an active workforce from ten up to forty-nine employees. It bridges the gap between solo operators and larger corporate structures, capturing growing firms that have moved beyond initial micro status. The scope covers all sectors possessing tax or payroll registrations, excluding only unregistered informal activities. Unlike smaller categories, this bracket reflects ventures that have established formal management hierarchies and regular payroll operations.
Evaluating this series requires accounting for shifts caused by growing firms graduating into higher employment brackets or contracting back down during economic adjustments. Early estimates are subject to routine administrative revisions as tax records are reconciled. Analysts should focus on annual trends rather than short-term fluctuations, because structural business growth occurs gradually. A significant pitfall is assuming homogeneity within this band, as a firm near the upper bound operates with vastly different resource constraints than a business near the lower threshold.
Frequently asked questions
- What distinguishes this group from micro enterprises?
- This category strictly captures businesses maintaining between ten and forty-nine employees, excluding smaller operations.
- How does employment data enter this enterprise classification?
- Staff counts are derived from administrative pay as you earn records linked to the enterprise.
- Can seasonal hiring push a business into this bracket temporarily?
- Annual snapshot timing mitigates short-term seasonal volatility, but persistent staffing shifts will alter the enterprise's assigned band.