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What number of new companies have been registered within the UK through the pandemic final 12 months?

How many new businesses were registered in the UK during the pandemic last year?

Despite the events of the year, almost half a million companies (468,371) were registered in the UK in 2020, according to Companies House.

The research conducted by online print specialists, instant print, combined desk research and national survey data to learn more about the companies that have registered in the UK over the past 12 months, as well as the country’s plans for 2021.

Due to the unpredictable effects of Covid-19, 9.9 million jobs were shed in the UK between April and December last year, causing many adults in the UK to spin their careers, start all over and take on a sideline to make money turbulent year.

The most popular start-up in 2020 was retail sales (both online and via mail order houses) with 22,011 new registrations in this area. Other popular options were consulting (16,869), buying and selling real estate (16,747), and road haulage (10,848).

With 52,281 registrations in this month alone, June was the main month for new registrations in 2020. In comparison, January was the least busy with only 25,403 registrations.

Week 27 of the year (June 29 – July 5) was the busiest week for new registrations – that week alone, 18,189 were made.

By further breaking down the available data, Instantprint found that the highest number of registrations occurred on June 8, with 4,759 being made in a single day. By the way, that was the same day that Matt Hancock announced that COVID deaths were also the lowest since March 21.

Tuesday was the most popular day to register a business in 2020 (98,740) while Saturdays were the least busy (8,076) for registrations.

London (123,462 registrations), Birmingham (11,165 registrations) and Manchester (9,684 registrations) were the cities with the highest number of new business registrations in 2020.

Top 20 cities in the UK for new registrations in 2020

cityNumber of new business registered
London123.462
Birmingham11,185
Manchester9,684
Glasgow6.166
Leicester5.549
Leeds5.130
Bristol4.897
Liverpool4,629
Nottingham3.893
Ilford3.102
Edinburgh3.087
Sheffield2.917
Coventry2,677
harrow2,611
Luton2,447
Bradford2,413
Cardiff2,362
Northampton2,346
Bolton2.228
Milton Keynes2.162

Looking ahead to 2021, survey data shows that almost a fifth of adults in the UK (18%) have firm plans to start a business in 2021, and another third (29%) are considering doing the same.

It found that millennials (25 to 34 year olds) are most likely to want to start a startup in 2021 (32%), while nearly forty percent (39%) of 18 to 24 year olds may be in 2021 .

London (28%), Birmingham (26%), Bristol (21%), Manchester (21%) and Newcastle (17%) were the top cities for residents looking to start a business in 2021. Liverpool (67%) was the city with the highest percentage of residents and least likely to do so.

Commenting on the results, Laura Mucklow, Director of Instantprint, said: “It really hasn’t been easier to run a business from home and it’s great to see how many businesses have grown up despite what happened in the UK over the year presented us with.

“Whether you’re starting a sideline or starting a new career with a complete career change, the sky is the limit when it comes to opportunities. It’s about finding something that works for you and making sure you are fully equipped for the market and the market equipment promote your start-up wherever you run it.

“According to the results of our survey, 2021 looks like another booming year for startups and we are excited to see what the new year brings.”