UK Company Statistics

UK companies at a glance

Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

Companies by status

All 14,116,333 companies ever registered

Most companies that close are dissolved: struck off the register, usually after applying themselves or failing to file. Insolvency statuses cover companies still being wound up or rescued; once that ends, they are dissolved too. Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

Active companies by type

5,503,703 active companies and other registered bodies

Limited by guarantee is the usual form for charities, clubs and other not-for-profits; overseas companies are foreign companies with a UK branch or place of business. Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

Companies formed each year

Last 20 years, including companies since dissolved; hover or open the table for the average per month

2026 is the year to date; its average per month is over its complete months. The causes are likely ones, matched to the timing of policy and economic changes: the register doesn't record why a company was formed. Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

Average companies formed in each month

Average for each month of the year, 2006–2025

An average month over these 20 years saw 49,369 companies formed. Recent years weigh most, since far more companies are formed now than 20 years ago. Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

Companies formed each month

Last 24 months

The current month is incomplete. Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

Who forms new companies

The 758,123 companies formed in the last year, by how many others were formed at the same registered office postcode

Agents and virtual offices: 100 or more new companies at the postcode in the year. Shared addresses, such as accountants and business centres: 5 to 99. Founder's own address, probably: fewer than 5. Removed: Companies House replaced the registered office with its own default address after it was shown to be wrong. Companies House doesn't publish who filed an incorporation, so this groups companies by the postcode of their registered office. Formation agents and virtual offices let thousands of companies use their address; a founder can still use one after forming the company themselves, and companies formed and dissolved within the year aren't counted. Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

Largest formation agents and virtual offices

Companies formed in the last year at each registered office postcode, top 15

The business is named where it's the only provider at the address; the busiest addresses are offered by several formation agents. Companies House doesn't publish who filed an incorporation, so this groups companies by the postcode of their registered office. Formation agents and virtual offices let thousands of companies use their address; a founder can still use one after forming the company themselves, and companies formed and dissolved within the year aren't counted. Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

Companies dissolved each year

Dissolutions since 2000

Dissolution is the end of a company: it is removed from the register. Companies House paused most strike-offs for unfiled documents in 2020 and 2021. The current year is incomplete. Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

How long companies last

Years from incorporation to dissolution, for the 786,459 companies dissolved in 2025

The average lifespan was 4.6 years and the median 2. Counted in calendar years: a company formed in 2024 and dissolved in 2025 counts as 1 year. Companies still trading aren't included, so this describes the companies that closed, not how long a new company can expect to last. Source: Companies House advanced search, counting every company on the register.

How old active companies are

Years since incorporation

Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

Active companies by industry

By the industry of their first SIC code

Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

What kind of accounts companies file

The type of each active company's latest accounts

Micro-entity and small company accounts are simplified and show little or no profit and loss; only larger companies file full, audited accounts. Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

Active companies by nation of registration

England and Wales share one register; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own. Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

Where active companies are registered

Post town of the registered office, top 15

Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

Busiest registered office postcodes

Active companies registered at each postcode

Mostly company formation agents, accountants and virtual offices, which let thousands of companies use their address as a registered office. Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

The most popular words in company names

Active companies with the word in their name

Leaving out Limited, Ltd, Company, Group, Services, UK and words such as The and And. Source: Companies House Basic Company Data, every company not yet dissolved.

Company owners at a glance

People with significant control own more than 25% of a company's shares or votes, or otherwise control it. Companies House doesn't publish directors in bulk, but in most small companies the owners are the directors. Each person is counted once however many companies they control, matched by name and month and year of birth. Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

Company owners by age

Age today, from month and year of birth

Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

How old people are when they first take control of a company

5,362,565 people first recorded since July 2017: average age 38.2, median 36

The register of people with significant control began in April 2016, and existing companies recorded their owners over the following year, until June 2017. So this counts only people first recorded from July 2017, the earliest the register can show: almost all of them new owners, usually of a company they have just formed. Late filings mean a few had taken control earlier. Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

Average age of new company owners, by year

Age when first taking control of a company, by the year they did, from July 2017

The register of people with significant control began in April 2016, and existing companies recorded their owners over the following year, until June 2017. So this counts only people first recorded from July 2017, the earliest the register can show: almost all of them new owners, usually of a company they have just formed. Late filings mean a few had taken control earlier. Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

How many companies each person controls

People controlling dozens of companies are usually property investors with a company per building, or owners of groups whose subsidiaries list them directly. Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

Company owners by nationality

Top 12

As stated on the register; English, Scottish, Welsh and similar are counted as British. Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

Where company owners live

Country of residence, top 12

Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

Who controls UK companies

The 4,788,183 companies with a person with significant control on record

Companies controlled by another company are usually subsidiaries in a group. Source: Companies House register of persons with significant control.

Administrations at a glance

Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

Companies entering administration, by month

Last 24 months, including companies that have since left administration

Counts companies in administration now and those that have since left it, found from the register and from administrators' appointment notices in The Gazette. Spikes usually mean one group putting many subsidiaries into administration together: most of March 2026 was London single-property companies appointed in batches. The current month is incomplete. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

Companies entering administration, by year

2005 to 2026

From administrators' appointment notices in The Gazette and the Companies House register. Notices without a company number (about 1 in 20) aren't counted. The current year is incomplete. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

What happens after administration

Status now of the 19,036 companies that have left administration

Most administrations end in liquidation or dissolution; a company back to Active was rescued or sold as a going concern. Recent administrations are still running, so this is mostly the outcome of earlier ones. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

Why companies go into administration

Share of the 2,902 administrators' statements that give each reason; most give several

Reasons are tagged from each administrators' statement of proposals by matching the causes it describes. Statements are read newest administrations first. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

Administrations by industry

Companies in administration now or since left it, by the industry of their first SIC code

20,572 companies have no SIC code on the register. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

How long companies traded before administration

Years from incorporation to entering administration

A company's incorporation date can be earlier than the business it runs, for example a dormant company put to use later. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

Busiest insolvency firms

Administrations handled, of the 11,456 where the firm is known

Firms are taken from administrators' addresses and statements, or inferred from the same practitioner or office on other appointments. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).

Where companies in administration are registered

Town of the registered office, top 12

Once administrators are appointed, the registered office often moves to their office, so this partly reflects where insolvency firms are based. Source: Companies House register (company status and insolvency records) and The Gazette (appointments of administrators).