Spotlight
Trends in UK industry concentration: 2007 to 2025
What's in the bulletin?
- Industry concentration can be measured using concentration ratios (CR) and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI); CR5, CR10 and CR20 measure the turnover share of the 5, 10 and 20 largest firms in an industry, while the HHI uses the turnover shares of all firms.
- Average industry concentration in the non-financial business economy was lower in 2025 than in the early 2010s; the turnover-weighted average concentration ratio of the five largest firms in each industry (CR5) decreased from 0.45 in 2010 to 0.38 in 2025, by comparison the turnover-weighted average HHI decreased from 1,075 index points in 2010 to 700 points in 2025.
- The largest decrease in average concentration occurred between 2014 and 2017, after which average CR5, CR10, CR20 and HHI values fluctuated around the 2017 level for the rest of the period.
Business demography, quarterly, UK: July to September 2026
What's in the bulletin?
- The number of businesses added (business creations) to the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) in the UK in Quarter 3 (July to Sept) 2026 was 69,895, a 3.5% decrease from Quarter 3 2025.
- There were decreases in business creations in 11 out of 16 main industrial groups in Quarter 3 2026, compared with Quarter 3 2025; the most significant decreases came from the health and social care, and the accommodation and food services industries.
- The number of businesses removed (business closures) from the IDBR in the UK in Quarter 3 2026 was 63,035, a 1.1% decrease from Quarter 3 2025.
Datasets related to Activity, size and location
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Measures of UK industry concentration from the Inter-Departmental Business Register and the Annual Business Survey
Measures of UK industry concentration calculated using data from the Inter-Departmental Business Register and the Annual Business Survey. Covering the non-financial business economy for the UK, 2007 to 2025. These are official statistics in development.
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Business demography, UK
Annual data on births, deaths and survival of businesses in the UK, by geographical area and Standard Industrial Classification 2007: SIC 2007 groups.
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Business demography, quarterly, UK
Business births and deaths from the Inter-Departmental Business Register with high-level breakdowns by industry and region. Quarterly official statistics in development.
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UK business: activity, size and location
Numbers of enterprises and local units produced from a snapshot of the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) taken on 13 March 2026.
Publications related to Activity, size and location
Statistical bulletins
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Trends in UK industry concentration: 2007 to 2025
Turnover concentration in UK industries, showing how concentration changed from 2007 to 2025. These are official statistics in development.
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Business demography, quarterly, UK: July to September 2026
Official statistics in development on business creations or births and closures or deaths from the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR).
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UK business; activity, size and location: 2026
UK businesses broken down by legal status, industry, region, employment and turnover size bands.
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Business demography, UK: 2024
Annual change in the number of UK businesses broken down by sector of the economy.
Articles
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Multiple business registrations at a single postcode, UK
Business demography explainer covering additional information on the impact of multiple registrations at a single postcode.
Methodology related to Activity, size and location
Find, compare and visualise statistics about places within the United Kingdom.