Buckinghamshire’s Businesses, 2018

There were 33,900 VAT / PAYE registered businesses in Buckinghamshire in 2018

Of these, 77.4 per cent employed fewer than five people, the highest share of any county council or Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area.  Over the last year, the number of businesses in Buckinghamshire has fallen 0.8 per cent (275 businesses), failing to match the national rate of growth (0.1 per cent), ranking 23rd among the 27 county council areas and 29th among the 38 LEPs.

Table 1: Business population (local units) by number of employees, 2018

Source: IDBR, ONS, 2018

Despite having the highest share of businesses in the smallest employment bands, 9.0 per cent of Buckinghamshire’s businesses have turnovers of more than £1m, ranking 23rd among the 38 LEPs, while 16.2 per cent of Buckinghamshire’s businesses have turnovers below £50,000, to rank 15th.  Buckinghamshire businesses most commonly have turnovers between £50,000 and £100,000, with a third (33.4 per cent) of businesses falling into this band.

Table 2: Buckinghamshire’s business population by turnover, 2018

Source: IDBR, ONS, 2018

The professional, scientific and technical sector is the largest in Buckinghamshire, accounting for 21.0 per cent of all businesses in the county, slightly down on 2017’s figures but still the highest share of any LEP outside London.  Management consultancies now account for 45.6 per cent of businesses in the sector and 9.6 per cent of all businesses, the highest share of any LEP or county council area.  Construction businesses showed the strongest growth in the last year in all sectors, increasing by 130 businesses to stand at 3,720, or 11.1 per cent of the total.  Since 2010, Buckinghamshire’s professional, scientific and technical sector has grown by 1,500 businesses, accounting for 30.6 per cent of all growth.

Chart 1: Change in business population by broad industry group by district, 2017-18

Source: IDBR, ONS, 2018

Chart 2: Change in business population by broad industry group by district, 2010-18

Source: IDBR, ONS, 2018

Table 2: Businesses in Buckinghamshire by broad industry group, 2018

Source: IDBR, ONS, 2018