Data last verified: 5 November 2026. Figures re-checked against their primary sources under the Whito rolling re-verification programme.
Finding
Of ten UK industries Whito counted for March 2026, only accountancy (down 7.0%) and solicitors (down 0.5%) had fewer businesses than in 2021; building cleaning grew fastest, up 30.9%.
Source: Whito, whito.co.uk/research/uk-trade-businesses-2026, 2026-11-06. Free to quote with a link to this page.
Last Updated on November 6, 2026
Short answer: in March 2026 the UK had 59,685 domestic building firms, 51,010 electrical installation businesses, 47,910 plumbing, heating and air-con businesses and 14,710 dental practices, according to the Office for National Statistics. The table below puts all ten industries Whito has studied side by side, with the change since 2010 and since 2021.
Of ten UK industries Whito counted for March 2026, only accountancy (down 7.0%) and solicitors (down 0.5%) had fewer businesses than in 2021; building cleaning grew fastest, up 30.9%. Employment placement agencies grew most over the longer run: more than three times as many as in 2010.
Ten industries side by side
Every figure in this table comes from the same official source and the same date: ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026. The 2010 and 2021 figures are from the same dataset, so the rows can be compared fairly. Each industry name links to Whito’s full study, with regions, business sizes and the rules that apply.
| Industry | ONS code (SIC) | Businesses, March 2026 | 2010 | Change since 2010 | 2021 | Change since 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic building | 41202 | 59,685 | 29,810 | +100.2% | 52,355 | +14.0% |
| Electrical installation | 43210 | 51,010 | 38,975 | +30.9% | 47,605 | +7.2% |
| Plumbing, heating and air-con | 43220 | 47,910 | 30,230 | +58.5% | 40,665 | +17.8% |
| Accounting and auditing | 69201 | 31,505 | 29,140 | +8.1% | 33,865 | -7.0% |
| Estate and letting agencies | 68310 | 26,210 | 16,050 | +63.3% | 22,145 | +18.4% |
| Employment placement agencies | 78109 | 16,745 | 4,915 | +240.7% | 16,430 | +1.9% |
| Building cleaning | 81210 | 16,420 | 9,020 | +82.0% | 12,540 | +30.9% |
| Dental practices | 86230 | 14,710 | 10,105 | +45.6% | 12,140 | +21.2% |
| Solicitor firms | 69102 | 13,185 | 12,885 | +2.3% | 13,250 | -0.5% |
| Roofing | 43910 | 12,895 | 7,080 | +82.1% | 10,010 | +28.8% |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis (dataset NM_142_1), read 5 November 2026. Changes are Whito calculations. Ranked by the 2026 count.
What the table shows
- Building is the biggest of the ten. 59,685 domestic building firms, twice as many as in 2010 (29,810).
- Only two industries shrank since 2021. Accounting and auditing fell 7.0% (33,865 to 31,505). Solicitor firms fell 0.5% (13,250 to 13,185).
- Cleaning and roofing grew fastest since 2021. Building cleaning rose 30.9% and roofing 28.8%.
- Recruitment grew most since 2010, then stalled. Placement agencies rose from 4,915 to 16,745, but only 1.9% since 2021.
- Solicitors barely moved in 16 years. 12,885 in 2010, 13,185 in 2026.
What these counts include, and what they miss
The ONS counts businesses registered for VAT or PAYE (payroll). A sole trader below the VAT threshold with no staff is usually not in these figures, so the real number of people trading is higher, especially in building, cleaning and roofing.
These are counts of businesses, not workers. One business can employ many people. For example, the plumbing study shows 47,910 plumbing businesses but about 155,653 engineers on the Gas Safe Register (HSE notice, February 2024).
Each row uses one ONS business code. Some trades spread across several codes. The full studies explain which code was used and why.
Two industries counted from regulators instead
For home care and financial advice the ONS business code is a poor fit, so Whito counted the regulator’s own register. These figures have their own dates and sources. Do not compare them with the table above.
| Industry | What was counted | Count | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home care | Home care agency locations (England) | 14,501 | August 2026 | CQC care directory, produced 26 August 2026 (Whito count) |
| Financial advice | Firms authorised to give retail investment advice | 5,664 | August 2025 | FCA information release, 23 October 2025 |
Why this matters if you run a business
A growing count means more competitors chasing the same customers. In cleaning and roofing there are about three in ten more businesses than in 2021. If you work in one of those trades, being easy to find and easy to trust matters more each year. In accountancy and law, where the count is flat or falling, the question is different: who is taking over the clients of firms that close.
The takeaway: know how crowded your market is before you spend on marketing. Start with your own industry’s study.
Common questions
How many plumbing businesses are there in the UK?
47,910 plumbing, heating and air-con businesses in March 2026, according to the ONS (SIC 43220). That is 58.5% more than in 2010.
How many electricians are there in the UK?
51,010 electrical installation businesses in March 2026 (ONS, SIC 43210). That counts businesses, not individual electricians.
How many dental practices are there in the UK?
14,710 dental practice businesses in March 2026 (ONS, SIC 86230), up 21.2% since 2021.
Which of these industries is growing fastest?
Since 2021, building cleaning (up 30.9%) and roofing (up 28.8%). Since 2010, employment placement agencies (up 240.7%).
Which industries have fewer businesses than in 2021?
Accounting and auditing (down 7.0%) and solicitor firms (down 0.5%).
Sources (opened 5 November 2026)
- ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis, NM_142_1: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_142_1
- CQC care directory, produced 26 August 2026 (see the home care study)
- FCA information release, 23 October 2025 (see the financial advice study)
- Each figure is repeated, with its full working, in the linked Whito study.
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