UK Company Registration Statistics 2026: Monthly Trends and Data
Every working day, between 1,500 and 2,000 new limited companies register at Companies House. Using live data from our database - updated daily from the Companies House API - we can give a real-time picture of UK company formation trends across 2025 and 2026.
How Many New Companies Register in the UK Each Month?
The following figures are drawn directly from our Companies House database:
| Month | New registrations |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | 36,349 |
| September 2025 | 75,016 |
| October 2025 | 75,493 |
| November 2025 | 59,885 |
| December 2025 | 51,294 |
| January 2026 | 71,933 |
| February 2026 | 60,718 |
| March 2026 | 74,026 |
| April 2026 | 67,565 |
| May 2026 | 62,517 |
| June 2026 | 59,426 |
| July 2026 | 64,030 |
August 2026 is partial data. Source: NewcoHunter via Companies House public API.
The 12-month total from August 2025 to July 2026 is approximately 780,000 new company registrations - an average of 65,000 per month and roughly 1,700 per working day.
Seasonal Patterns in UK Company Registrations
The data reveals clear seasonal patterns that repeat year-on-year:
- September and October are the busiest months - with 75,000+ registrations each. This is driven by post-summer activity: entrepreneurs who planned through the summer incorporate in the autumn, and new tax-year business decisions translate into incorporations at this time.
- January is the second major spike - with nearly 72,000 registrations in January 2026. The "new year, new business" effect is real and consistent.
- March is strong - partly due to tax-year-end planning (the UK tax year ends 5 April) and year-end decisions from existing businesses spinning out new entities.
- August is the quietest month - registrations drop significantly as founders, accountants, and formation agents take summer holidays. The 36,349 figure for August 2025 is roughly half the September total.
- December is also quiet - the Christmas period and year-end company review season depress new formation activity.
Which Sectors Register the Most New UK Companies?
Based on the last 30 days of registrations, the top sectors for new UK company formations are:
- Retail - the largest single sector for new incorporations
- Tech & Software - the fastest-growing over the last five years
- Real Estate - property holding and development companies consistently rank in the top three
- Creative & Media - agencies, production companies, and content businesses
- Professional Services - consultancies, management advisory firms, and specialist services
How to Monitor New Company Registrations
NewcoHunter monitors Companies House daily and delivers filtered lists of new company registrations by sector and location. Whether you are a B2B business looking for new clients, a researcher tracking market trends, or a journalist monitoring business formation data, you can set up automated alerts that deliver new registrations matching your criteria.
- Browse newly registered UK companies - updated daily
- Live UK company statistics - real-time registration data
- Set up weekly new company alerts - free to start
Frequently Asked Questions
How many companies registered in the UK in 2025?
Based on our Companies House data, approximately 700,000 to 780,000 new limited companies registered in the UK in 2025. The figures vary depending on the exact period measured and whether only England and Wales or all UK jurisdictions are included.
Why do more companies register in September than in other months?
The autumn spike in company registrations reflects several factors: entrepreneurs completing their summer planning and incorporating in September, new businesses set up by graduates who finished university in July and August, and financial year planning that leads to new entity creation in the autumn quarter.
Are company registration numbers growing year on year?
UK company formation numbers have grown broadly over the last decade, with some year-to-year variation. The sharp increase in formations during and after 2020-2021 was partly driven by the pandemic prompting self-employment and small business formation. Current annual formation rates of around 700,000 to 800,000 are broadly consistent with recent years.
Where does this registration data come from?
All data in this article is sourced from the Companies House public register via the official Companies House API, which NewcoHunter ingests daily. The data is Crown Copyright, published under the Open Government Licence, and updated as Companies House processes new incorporations.
About the author
Alexis Pratsides is founder of NewcoHunter. The product reads the UK company register every day. More about Alexis
Related Articles
UK Companies in Administration - How to Spot the Warning Signs Before It Happens
Companies already in administration are too late to sell to. But the warning signs appear weeks or months before a formal appointment. Here is how to read them from Companies House data.
New Companies Registered in London - Latest Incorporations
London registers more new companies than any other part of the UK - roughly four in ten new incorporations happen here. Here is what the data shows, which sectors are driving it, and how B2B teams can turn the volume into a prospecting advantage.
New Companies Registered in Manchester - Latest Incorporations
Manchester has become the UK's most active business hub outside London, with the North West consistently registering more new companies each year than any other English region beyond the capital. Here is the data, which sectors are growing fastest, and how to prospect effectively.
Explore more
Ready to find your next client?
Get instant access to new UK company registrations, filtered by industry and location.
Get started free