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: 167,663

  Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies offer services to clients across all sectors of the economy, with the financial services and public sectors being particularly significant markets. The expansion of IT and AI adoption, as well as government expenditure, has incentivised businesses to invest more heavily in IT systems and upgrades, thereby supporting demand for BPO services. Industry revenue is expected to expand at a compound annual rate of 1.3% over the five years through 2025-26 ...

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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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