UK company statistics
Live figures from the official Companies House register — how big the UK company population is, how fast it's growing, and what those businesses actually do.
Updated October 2026 · Source: UK Companies House register
UK company incorporations by month
New companies registered each month over the last year — an average of 66,019 a month.
Most common UK business activities
The SIC codes used by the most UK companies. Each links to a full breakdown.
| SIC code | Activity | Companies |
|---|---|---|
| 68209 | Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate | 466,469 |
| 68100 | Buying and selling of own real estate | 285,745 |
| 70229 | Management consultancy activities other than financial management | 283,024 |
| 47910 | Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet | 218,854 |
| 82990 | Other business support service activities n.e.c. | 218,342 |
| 62020 | Information technology consultancy activities | 170,519 |
| 96090 | Other service activities n.e.c. | 146,841 |
| 98000 | Undifferentiated goods-and services-producing activities of private households for own use | 139,006 |
| 68320 | Management of real estate on a fee or contract basis | 129,342 |
| 64209 | Activities of other holding companies n.e.c. | 121,587 |
| 62012 | Business and domestic software development | 119,731 |
| 41100 | Development of building projects | 113,677 |
| 86900 | Other human health activities | 106,353 |
| 41202 | Construction of domestic buildings | 98,879 |
Browse all 1,000+ SIC codes or by industry.
UK company statistics — FAQ
How many companies are registered in the UK?
As of October 2026, Company Shark indexes 5,269,230 active UK companies from the official Companies House register.
How many new companies are incorporated in the UK each month?
Around 66,019 new UK companies were incorporated per month over the last year — roughly 2,152 a day. In the last 30 days, 64,548 new companies were registered.
What is the most common type of UK business?
The most common SIC code on the register is 68209 (Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate), used by 466,469 companies.
Where does this data come from and how current is it?
All figures are computed from the official UK Companies House register, which Company Shark indexes and refreshes continuously. Counts are recalculated daily.
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