Startups and Small Businesses in Numbers

Some fantastic statistics on the UK’s small business sector has been made available by the Federation of Small Businesses…

Amongst the highlights, are the following:

- There are 4.8 million small businesses in the UK (up from 4 million in 2003)
- 3 million businesses are sole proprietors
- 1.3 million are companies
- 462,000 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 firms employ more than 59.4 per cent of the private sector workforce
- 13.7 million people work in small firms
- Small firms contribute more than 50.1 per cent of the UK turnover
- 64 per cent of commercial innovations come from small firms
- 25 per cent of all private sector enterprises operate in Business Services
- 21 per cent of all private sector enterprises operate in Wholesale, Retail or Repairs
- Over 2 million people run their small business from home
- Another 7.5 million people work for their boss from home

Some cracking starting points for discussion with students there