Industries with Largest Number of Businesses in United Kingdom in 2026

• 1. Management Consultants in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 180,354

  In recent years, management consultants have been reaping the rewards of swelling demand for IT consulting services. While expanding business activity and spending has fuelled management consultants’ revenue during upbeat economic conditions, the provision of countercyclical services has supported revenue during periods of economic instability. They’ve also benefitted from regulatory changes, as businesses have required help to fine-tune their strategies and operations following Brexit and re...

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• 2. Charities in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 170,862

  Charities’ revenue is expected to rise at a compound annual rate of 5% over the five years through 2025-26 to £87.3 billion. Funding for charities isn't distributed evenly. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has provided some financial support for the industry, with £2.6 billion allocated from April 2022 to March 2025 and an additional £900 million offered for 2025-26. However, funding has favoured bigger charities, with many small or micro organisations struggling to win bids in a highly competit...

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• 3. Business Process Outsourcing Services in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 166,576

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• 4. Computer Consultants in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 126,555

  The Computer Consultants industry’s revenue has experienced continued positive growth as technological developments create high demand for their expertise and services. This growth was extreme as workplace operations shifted to become even more digital during the pandemic. The industry has faced increasing obstacles due to a highly competitive market, talent shortages and low business confidence caused by an uncertain economic environment, cited frequently by consultants as feeding into poor ...

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• 5. Construction Contractors in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 97,084

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• 6. Residential Building Construction in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 57,176

  Residential building contractors are contingent on the propensity of property developers to invest in new ventures; movements in property prices; government schemes intended to boost the housing supply; and underlying sentiment in the housing market. Industry contractors have endured turbulent operating conditions over the past five years, leading to volatile shifts in revenue and profitability. Revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.4% over the five years through 2025-26,...

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• 7. Consultant Engineering Services in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 55,491

  Over the five years through 2024-25, revenue is projected to dip at a compound annual rate of 0.5% to £69.8 billion, including an anticipated growth of 1.5% in 2024-25. However, this is mainly the result of a sharp drop in revenue in 2020-21, as consultant engineering demand slumped amid depressed business investment and subdued construction activity during COVID-19. Nevertheless, vigorous infrastructure construction activity, including electricity and telecommunications infrastructure constr...

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• 8. Pension Funding in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 55,316

  Pension funds are undergoing a period of change. The past decade has marked a shift from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) schemes dominating the industry, due to the financial burden DB schemes place on employers. Growing longevity risk, stemming from rising life expectancy has also been a contributing factor. Revenue is expected to fall by 8.5% over the five years through 2024-25 to £125 billion, including estimated growth of 3.1% in 2024-25, while the average industry profi...

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• 9. Freight Road Transport in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 53,634

  Revenue is expected to creep upwards at a compound annual rate of 0.1% over the five years through 2024-25 to £39.3 billion. The freight road transport industry operates the most extensive transport network of all freight modes, providing much-needed flexibility and the convenience of door-to-door haulage. The performance of the road haulage industry is influenced by demand from key downstream markets. Therefore, unprecedented global disruptions, like economic downturns, which affect producti...

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• 10. Hairdressing & Beauty Treatment in the UK

  Number of Businesses for 2026: 50,481

  The Hairdressing and Beauty Treatment industry is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. The emergence of social media has reshaped traditional demand, with Brits much more self coscious than before. The industry is heavily fragmented, with most spas independently owned and focused on carving out a distinct offer for regulars. 

  Industry revenue is poised to grow at a compound annual rate of 9.5% in the five years through 2025-26 to reach 5.74 billion, including a rise of 0.2% in ...

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