Data last verified: 13 November 2026. Figures re-checked against their primary sources under the Whito rolling re-verification programme.
Finding
The number of UK optician businesses rose 7.6% between 2010 and 2026, from 4,755 to 5,115.
Source: Whito, whito.co.uk/opticians/uk-optician-industry, 2026-11-13. Free to quote with a link to this page.
Last Updated on November 13, 2026
Read a short summary
General summary
The UK had 5,115 optician businesses registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is 7.6% up on 2010 (4,755) and 0.5% down on 2021 (5,140). 72.0% employ fewer than ten people. South East has the most per head, 12.2 per 100,000 residents. South West has the fewest, 4.6.
Bullet points
- 5,115 UK optician businesses in March 2026 (ONS).
- Compared with 2010: 7.6% up on 2010 (4,755).
- Compared with 2021: 0.5% down on 2021 (5,140).
- 72.0% employ fewer than ten people.
- Most per head: South East, 12.2 per 100,000 residents. Fewest: South West, 4.6.
Basic explainer
This page counts optician businesses in the UK, using official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It shows how the number has changed since 2010, how big the businesses are and where they are based. It also gives the number of people and businesses on the register kept by the General Optical Council (GOC), the regulator for opticians in the UK. A business with several practices is counted once.
These summaries were written with AI from this page only. The full page below is the record.
Short answer: the UK had 5,115 optician businesses registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is 7.6% up on 2010 (4,755) and 0.5% down on 2021 (5,140). 72.0% employ fewer than ten people. South East has the most per head, 12.2 per 100,000 residents; South West has the fewest, 4.6.
This page uses official counts you can rerun yourself, the rules that apply, and Whito’s published research. The regional and change figures are Whito’s calculations. A business that runs several practices is counted once, so this is a count of optician businesses, not of practices.
The key figures
| Figure | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Optician businesses (UK, SIC 47782) | 5,115 | ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 (official statistic) |
| Change since 2010 | +7.6% (from 4,755) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Change since 2021 | -0.5% (from 5,140) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Fewer than 10 employees | 3,685 (72.0%) | Same dataset |
| 250 or more employees | 5 | Same dataset |
| Most per head | South East, 12.2 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
| Fewest per head | South West, 4.6 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
| Optometrists and dispensing opticians on the GOC register (UK) | 25,787 | Professional Standards Authority review of the GOC, as at 31 December 2025, published 3 March 2026 |
| Students on the GOC register | 6,748 | Same review |
| Optical businesses on the GOC register | 2,936 | Same review |
The ONS count and the GOC register count different things, so the two business figures should not be compared directly.
The count year by year
| Year | Businesses (UK) |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,755 |
| 2011 | 4,655 |
| 2012 | 4,710 |
| 2013 | 4,675 |
| 2014 | 4,760 |
| 2015 | 4,990 |
| 2016 | 5,010 |
| 2017 | 5,080 |
| 2018 | 5,130 |
| 2019 | 5,190 |
| 2020 | 5,160 |
| 2021 | 5,140 |
| 2022 | 5,080 |
| 2023 | 5,040 |
| 2024 | 5,060 |
| 2025 | 5,065 |
| 2026 | 5,115 |
The highest count in this period was 5,190 in 2019. The lowest was 4,655 in 2011. Each count is a snapshot taken in March of that year.
How big are optician businesses?
| Employees | Businesses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | 3,685 | 72.0% |
| 10 to 49 | 1,340 | 26.2% |
| 50 to 249 | 85 | 1.7% |
| 250 or more | 5 | 0.1% |
| Total | 5,115 |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 47782 “Retail sale by opticians”, 2026, via Nomis (dataset NM_142_1). Counts are rounded to the nearest 5, so bands may not add exactly to the total.
Where optician businesses are based
| Region or nation | 2010 | 2021 | 2026 | Per 100,000 residents | Change 2010 to 2026 | Change 2021 to 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South East | 900 | 1,175 | 1,185 | 12.2 | +31.7% | +0.9% |
| Northern Ireland | 170 | 170 | 180 | 9.3 | +5.9% | +5.9% |
| London | 650 | 740 | 720 | 7.9 | +10.8% | -2.7% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 360 | 400 | 445 | 7.8 | +23.6% | +11.3% |
| North West | 540 | 545 | 580 | 7.5 | +7.4% | +6.4% |
| West Midlands | 405 | 450 | 450 | 7.3 | +11.1% | 0.0% |
| East Midlands | 330 | 330 | 315 | 6.2 | -4.5% | -4.5% |
| Scotland | 345 | 345 | 325 | 5.9 | -5.8% | -5.8% |
| North East | 150 | 140 | 145 | 5.2 | -3.3% | +3.6% |
| Wales | 190 | 180 | 165 | 5.2 | -13.2% | -8.3% |
| East of England | 395 | 365 | 330 | 5.0 | -16.5% | -9.6% |
| South West | 320 | 295 | 270 | 4.6 | -15.6% | -8.5% |
| United Kingdom | 4,755 | 5,140 | 5,115 | 7.4 | +7.6% | -0.5% |
Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates. Per-head and change figures are Whito calculations. A business is counted once, where it is registered, which is not always where it works.
What stands out
- South East has about 2.7 times as many per head as South West (12.2 against 4.6 per 100,000 residents).
- Biggest rise since 2010: South East (+31.7%). Biggest fall: East of England (-16.5%).
- 5 of the 12 regions and nations have more businesses than in 2021. 6 have fewer and 1 has the same count.
- The data cannot say why counts rise or fall. New firms, firms crossing the VAT threshold, mergers, closures and businesses registering elsewhere all move the count.
Rules that apply
The General Optical Council (GOC) regulates optometrists, dispensing opticians, students and optical businesses in the United Kingdom. Source: Professional Standards Authority, periodic review of the GOC, published 3 March 2026.
To check an optician yourself, see Whito’s guide: how to check an optician on the GOC register.
What Whito’s research adds
Whito’s other optician pages: AI-recommended opticians vs the GOC register: the check Whito is running, Ask AI for a “Good” Optician and the Chains Disappear (2026 Pilot), Eye test costs UK: who gets a free NHS sight test and what the rest pay for, How to check an optician on the GOC register. This page adds the official business counts, by size, by region and by year.
What we do not know yet
- How many people work in the industry. This page counts businesses, not workers.
- The smallest sole traders. Businesses that are neither VAT registered nor employers are not in the ONS count.
- Turnover. We only publish figures we can check at source.
Method and limits
- Business counts: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 47782, all legal statuses, March snapshots for 2010 to 2026, via the Nomis API (dataset NM_142_1), read 13 November 2026.
- Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates via Nomis (NM_2002_1).
- Counts are rounded to the nearest 5 by ONS. Business counts are March 2026; population is mid-2025.
Compare with other industries: see UK trade businesses in 2026: ten industries compared, one table with each count, its date and the change since 2010 and 2021.
Compare with other industries: see how opticians compare with eleven other UK industries by number of businesses, growth since 2010 and business size, in one table: UK industries compared 2026.
Common questions
How many optician businesses are there in the UK?
5,115 registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the ONS (SIC 47782). A business with several practices is counted once.
Is the number of optician businesses growing?
It fell 0.5% between 2021 and 2026 and rose 7.6% since 2010 (Whito calculation from ONS data).
Which part of the UK has the most optician businesses?
By number, South East (1,185). Per head, South East, with 12.2 per 100,000 residents.
Are most optician businesses small?
Yes. 3,685 of 5,115 (72.0%) employ fewer than ten people.
Sources (opened 13 November 2026)
- ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis, NM_142_1: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_142_1
- ONS mid-2025 population estimates via Nomis, NM_2002_1
- Professional Standards Authority, Periodic Review: General Optical Council 2024/25 (published 3 March 2026): https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/node/1764
