Statistics:

• There are 4.8 million small businesses in the UK (up from 4 million in 2003)
• 3.6 million businesses are sole proprietors
• 1.3 million are companies of which 747,000 have employees
• 444,000 are partnerships
• 97 per cent of firms employ less than 20 people
• 95 per cent employ less than 5 people
• Over 500,000 people start up their own business every year
• Small and medium-sized firms employ more than 59.8 per cent of the private sector workforce
• 22.8 million people work in small and medium-sized firms
• Small firms contribute more than 49 per cent of the UK turnover
• 64 per cent of commercial innovations come from small firms
• Wholesale, Retail and Repairs was the biggest employer at the start of 2009
• The 563,000 enterprises in this sector employed 4,853,000 people (21.3 per cent of all UK private sector employment)
• Small firms collect and pay Tax, NICs, VAT and other dues which help pay for public services
• Around 1,580,000 of all UK enterprises are in London and the South-East

micro: 0-9 employees, small: 10-50 employees, medium: 50-249 employees

(updated October 2010)

Figures obtained from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. Home working figures courtesy of Enterprise Nation.