FOI REF: FOI-2024-2025

You asked

I am looking to identify the total number of companies, the number of company formations and the number of dissolutions by sic code for each year from 2010 to 2024. Specifically, the query is for SIC codes 68100, 68201, 68202, 68209, and 68310. However, this does not appear to be readily available. Can you please either point me in the right direction or provide this data via an FOI?

We said

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request enquiring the number of company formations and dissolutions by SIC for the years 2010 to 2014. 

The Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) holds all businesses registered for VAT and/or PAYE. ONS produce an annual publication called Business Demography, which looks at annual change in the number of UK businesses broken down by sector of the economy. The data are available from 2022 to 2009 in the accompanying reference tables. the most granular level of SIC available is 3 digit SIC. Data relating to 2023 will be available in November 2024. 

Through the ONS Data Analysis Service, we can provide non-disclosive counts of businesses by the 5 digit SIC’s you have stipulated in your request. 

Depending on the time needed to produce the request, it could be chargeable but if you contact the team, they will be able to advise you further on this. 

As this information is reasonably accessible via another route, even if only accessible on payment, Section 21(2)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) applies.