Business demography by industry (SIC2007), area and year

See what variables and values are shown in your table

Variable	Visibility	Selected values	Action
Data description	Shown in table	All 3 values	Change values
Year	Shown in table	All 17 values	Change values
Area	Shown in table	All 24 values	Change values
Industry	Shown in table	All 16 values	Change values

Table

Standard shorthand is used in this table: [p] = provisional, [t] = total.

Data values	Data description	Year	Area	Industry
267,445 [t]	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Total
222,555 [t]	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Total
2,325,770 [t]	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Total
11,670	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Production
12,700	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Production
155,540	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Production
39,315	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Construction
31,665	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Construction
337,885	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Construction
6,140	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Motor Trades
5,445	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Motor Trades
74,815	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Motor Trades
9,805	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Wholesale
9,885	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Wholesale
119,785	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Wholesale
22,080	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Retail
23,025	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Retail
223,475	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Retail
8,315	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Transport & storage (inc. postal)
8,190	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Transport & storage (inc. postal)
82,965	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Transport & storage (inc. postal)
21,365	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Accommodation & food services
21,720	Deaths	2008	United Kingdom	Accommodation & food services
165,750	Active enterprises	2008	United Kingdom	Accommodation & food services
24,680	Births	2008	United Kingdom	Information & communication

Showing 1 to 25 of 19,584 rows

Page 1 of 784

Metadata

The metadata for this dataset is not included when you download the data. You can download this separately. This contains all the information from the 'About this dataset' tab.

Next update expected:January 2027

Updates

• 22nd January 2026:

  Update to add historical data

• 22nd January 2026:

  Routine update to add new data and amend existing data where needed.

• 24th September 2025: Dataset first published.

Main information

• Designation: Accredited official statistics
• Data provider: Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• Data source: Business demography
• Time period covered: January 2008 to December 2024
• Dataset ID: 072e1e13-a487-4908-ac2d-f11f8a3cee53

Overview

• Summary of dataset and variables:

  This dataset details business births, deaths and active enterprises by broad industry group (SIC2007) and year.

  Active enterprises are businesses that had either turnover or employment at any time during the reference period (December to December).

  A birth is defined as a business that was present in year t, but did not exist in year t-1 or t-2. Births are identified by making a comparison of annual active population files and identifying those present in the latest one, but not the two previous ones.

  A death is defined as a business that was on the active file in year t but no longer present on the active file for year t+1 or t+2. To produce more timely statistics, the UK business demography statistics contain a preliminary death indicator, which includes an adjustment for estimated reactivations. Reactivations occur where a business becomes dormant for a period of less than 2 years, then recommences activity in a manner which complies with a definition of continuity. If the definition of continuity is not met (e.g. if a business recommences activity but at a different location and with a different activity), this would be considered a death followed by a birth. Reactivations can also occur due to lags in the administrative data source (VAT/PAYE) so that a business that continues to trade can appear to die. The deaths data exclude losses to the population as a result of mergers, break-ups, split-offs or other re-structuring.

• Data collection or calculation:

  ONS use data from the IDBR to produce business demography statistics, using guidelines found in the Eurostat/OECD manual on Business Demography. The starting point for demography is the concept of a population of active businesses in a reference year. These are defined as businesses that had either turnover or employment at any time during the reference period. Births and deaths are then identified by comparing active populations for different years.

• Statistical quality:

  Totals may differ slightly between the area and industry breakdowns due to the disclosure control methods used.

  The latest two years' estimates on deaths are subject to revision, which would normally be made in the following year's publication.

• Rounding applied:

  Business births, deaths and active enterprises have been rounded to the nearest 5.

• Related reports:
  • Welsh Government - Business demography (English)
  • Welsh Government - Business demography (Welsh)
  • ONS - Business demography (English)
  • ONS - Business demography quality and methodology information (English)

Published by

• Organisation: Welsh Government
• Contact email: economic.stats@gov.wales