ONS UK Business Counts · 2025
How many tradespeople are there in the UK?
Official Office for National Statistics counts of active businesses in every trade we build websites for - by nation, free to use and cite.
Across all categories
1,029,230
active UK businesses in the trades and local services below.
Source: UK Business Counts - enterprises by industry and local authority, Office for National Statistics, 2025. Source: ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Download as CSV.
England
903,080
Scotland
64,580
Wales
37,925
Northern Ireland
23,645
The full table
Businesses by trade category and nation
Several trades share one ONS category - barbers, hairdressers and beauty salons are all counted as hairdressing and beauty treatment, for example.
| Category (SIC) and trades | England | Scotland | Wales | N. Ireland | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management consultancies (70229)Consultants | 124,965 | 6,410 | 2,875 | 1,325 | 135,575 |
| Domestic construction firms (41202)Builders · Loft Conversion Companies | 54,240 | 2,120 | 2,170 | 1,930 | 60,460 |
| Hairdressing and beauty businesses (96020)Barbers · Hairdressers · Beauty Salons · Nail Technicians | 44,050 | 3,935 | 2,140 | 1,380 | 51,505 |
| Vehicle repair businesses (45200)Car Valeting & Detailing · Mobile Mechanics · MOT Centres · Garages & Mechanics | 43,725 | 3,700 | 2,500 | 1,475 | 51,400 |
| Electrical contractors (43210)Electricians · Solar Panel Installers | 44,425 | 3,030 | 1,975 | 1,630 | 51,060 |
| Plumbing and heating businesses (43220)Plumbers · Gas Engineers · Bathroom Fitters · Air Conditioning Engineers | 41,585 | 3,120 | 1,825 | 1,175 | 47,705 |
| Takeaways and mobile food businesses (56103)Takeaways | 38,900 | 3,930 | 2,295 | 1,315 | 46,440 |
| Licensed restaurants (56101)Restaurants | 27,990 | 2,530 | 1,320 | 620 | 32,460 |
| Pubs and bars (56302)Pubs | 26,885 | 2,075 | 1,695 | 705 | 31,360 |
| Accountancy practices (69201)Accountants | 28,270 | 1,465 | 970 | 600 | 31,305 |
| Joinery businesses (43320)Joiners & Carpenters · Kitchen Fitters | 23,400 | 3,530 | 1,150 | 1,325 | 29,405 |
| Cafés and unlicensed restaurants (56102)Cafés & Coffee Shops | 24,325 | 2,410 | 1,225 | 960 | 28,920 |
| Other health practices (86900)Physiotherapists · Chiropractors · Counsellors & Therapists · Clinics & Private Healthcare | 24,735 | 1,205 | 780 | 445 | 27,165 |
| Estate and letting agencies (68310)Estate Agents | 24,000 | 1,015 | 660 | 415 | 26,090 |
| Specialised design businesses, including interior designers (74100)Interior Designers | 22,530 | 1,030 | 480 | 370 | 24,410 |
| Specialist construction businesses not classified elsewhere (43999)Bricklayers · Fencing Contractors · Driveway Contractors | 20,815 | 1,490 | 1,065 | 975 | 24,345 |
| Other personal service businesses, a category that includes pet grooming, pet boarding and tattooing (96090)Dog Groomers · Dog Walkers & Pet Sitters · Dog Trainers & Behaviourists · Kennels & Catteries · Tattoo Studios | 21,600 | 1,590 | 720 | 400 | 24,310 |
| Landscaping and gardening businesses (81300)Landscapers & Gardeners · Tree Surgeons · Gardeners | 20,355 | 1,760 | 1,290 | 555 | 23,960 |
| Other building completion and finishing businesses (43390)Handymen | 22,175 | 795 | 710 | 235 | 23,915 |
| Financial services support businesses, including mortgage brokers (66190)Mortgage Brokers | 17,480 | 960 | 705 | 450 | 19,595 |
| Other education providers, including tutoring and learning centres (85590)Tutors & Tuition Centres | 16,965 | 975 | 665 | 305 | 18,910 |
| Architecture practices (71111)Architects | 12,820 | 920 | 370 | 370 | 14,480 |
| Dental practices (86230)Dental Practices | 12,265 | 980 | 545 | 340 | 14,130 |
| Cleaning businesses (81210)Cleaning Companies | 12,265 | 880 | 510 | 240 | 13,895 |
| Child day-care providers, including childminders and nurseries (88910)Childminders | 11,540 | 940 | 940 | 460 | 13,880 |
| Solicitors’ firms (69102)Solicitors | 11,340 | 985 | 405 | 440 | 13,170 |
| Roofing businesses (43910)Roofers | 11,035 | 1,130 | 485 | 185 | 12,835 |
| Painting and decorating businesses (43341)Painters & Decorators | 10,865 | 980 | 390 | 260 | 12,495 |
| Hotels, guest houses and similar serviced accommodation (55100)Bed & Breakfasts | 8,205 | 1,560 | 635 | 190 | 10,590 |
| Event caterers (56210)Caterers | 9,235 | 580 | 380 | 135 | 10,330 |
| Floor and wall covering businesses (43330)Tilers · Flooring & Carpet Fitters | 8,580 | 530 | 345 | 255 | 9,710 |
| Bookkeeping businesses (69202)Bookkeepers | 7,170 | 360 | 210 | 70 | 7,810 |
| Video production businesses (59112)Videographers | 6,935 | 250 | 175 | 55 | 7,415 |
| Shops selling flowers, plants, seeds and pet supplies (47760)Florists | 6,135 | 520 | 325 | 240 | 7,220 |
| Plastering businesses (43310)Plasterers & Renderers | 6,020 | 345 | 285 | 330 | 6,980 |
| Holiday lets and other short-stay accommodation (55209)Holiday Lets | 4,965 | 995 | 515 | 130 | 6,605 |
| Scaffold erection businesses (43991)Scaffolding Companies | 5,770 | 345 | 325 | 75 | 6,515 |
| Gyms and fitness facilities (93130)Gyms & Fitness Studios | 4,860 | 390 | 200 | 205 | 5,655 |
| Sports and recreation instruction businesses, including fitness and yoga instruction (85510)Personal Trainers · Yoga & Pilates Studios | 4,905 | 315 | 210 | 105 | 5,535 |
| Laundry, dry-cleaning and carpet-cleaning businesses (96010)Carpet Cleaners | 3,925 | 290 | 130 | 95 | 4,440 |
| Glazing businesses (43342)Glaziers | 3,655 | 205 | 180 | 65 | 4,105 |
| Veterinary practices (75000)Veterinary Practices | 3,255 | 275 | 185 | 110 | 3,825 |
| Security systems businesses, including locksmiths (80200)Locksmiths | 3,225 | 155 | 100 | 50 | 3,530 |
| Non-hazardous waste collection businesses (38110)Skip Hire | 2,970 | 165 | 155 | 60 | 3,350 |
| Physical well-being businesses, such as massage and spa services (96040)Massage Therapists | 2,930 | 185 | 75 | 85 | 3,275 |
| Removal firms (49420)Removal Companies | 2,925 | 215 | 110 | 20 | 3,270 |
| Site preparation businesses (43120)Groundworks Contractors | 2,615 | 235 | 135 | 205 | 3,190 |
| Bakeries making bread, fresh pastries and cakes (10710)Bakeries | 2,435 | 255 | 145 | 140 | 2,975 |
| Window cleaning businesses (81221)Window Cleaners | 2,475 | 220 | 105 | 50 | 2,850 |
| Driving schools (85530)Driving Instructors | 1,760 | 100 | 75 | 20 | 1,955 |
| Portrait photography businesses (74201)Photographers · Wedding Photographers | 1,215 | 80 | 30 | 30 | 1,355 |
| Pest control and disinfection businesses (81291)Pest Control | 835 | 80 | 30 | 30 | 975 |
| Specialist building and industrial cleaning businesses (81229)Gutter Cleaners | 485 | 35 | 5 | 10 | 535 |
| Chimney and furnace cleaning businesses (81223)Chimney Sweeps | 50 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
You are welcome to use these figures. Please cite the ONS as the source, and link to this page if it helped.
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