Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) accounted for 99.9% of all private sector enterprises in the UK, employing 59.2% of the private sector workforce and generating 48.6% of private sector turnover. SMEs are defined as companies with less than 250 employees, with small enterprises having less than 50 employees and medium enterprises employing between 50 and 249 people. The document provides statistics on the number and size of SMEs as well as their contribution to the UK economy.

1. Small and Medium Sized
Enterprises 2010
Some Facts and Figures
C W Mobbs
July 2011

2. Introduction
• For the purposes of this analysis, small and medium sized
enterprises are defined as those with less than 250 employees
(large enterprises have 250+)
• Small enterprises have less than 50 employees; medium ones
between 50 and 249
• An enterprise is defined as a profit, non-profit or government
organisation
Data Source: Department for Business Innovation and Skills ‘Business Population Estimate for the UK and
Regions, 2010’, unless otherwise stated.

3. SMEs
• UK SMEs accounted for 99.9% of all private sector enterprises, 59.2%
of private sector employment and 48.6% of private sector turnover
• Enterprises comprising one employee director and self employed
owner-managers alone accounted for 73.4% of all enterprises, 15.7%
of employment and 6.6% of turnover
• Small enterprises alone accounted for 99.3% of all enterprises, 47.1%
of employment and 35.0% of turnover
• Turnover in SMEs is estimated at £1,562 bn, £27 bn (1.7%) lower than
2009

4. UK Enterprises (1)
• There are 4,572,015 enterprises in the UK economy
• Of these, 98.1% are private sector organisations, realising 93.6% of
whole economy turnover
• A further 0.1% are Central or Local Government, employing 18.1%
of total employment and 1.8% are non-profits, employing 6.4% of
total employment

5. UK Enterprises (2)
Enterprises Employment Turnover
All enterprises 4,572,015 29.8 m £3,433 bn
Private sector 98.1% 75.6% 93.6%
Central and
Local
0.1% 18.1% 4.5%
Government
Non-profit
Organisations 1.8% 6.4% 2.0%

6. Private Sector Enterprises
Numbers
• 73.4% of enterprises have no
employees (ie, consist of sole
director or self-employed
owner-manager)
• 0.06% of organisations have
more than 500 employees
• Small enterprises account for
99.3% of enterprises and
medium enterprises for 0.6%
No of
Employees
Enterprises
4,484,535
0 73.4%
1-9 22.1%
10-49 3.8%
50-249 0.6%
250-499 0.1%
500+ 0.1%

7. Employees by Enterprise (1)
15.7% of all employment is in enterprises comprising a
sole director or self-employed owner-manager

8. Employees by Enterprise (2)
• Total employment stands at 22.5 m
• 15.7% of total private sector employment is in enterprises
comprising sole directors or self-employed owner-managers
• Small business with between 1 and 49 employees account for
31.5% of total employment
• Medium sized enterprises account for a further 12.0%
• Large companies account for 40.9%

9. Enterprises and Turnover (1)
Turnover of large enterprises accounts for 51.4% of
all private sector turnover

10. Enterprises and Turnover (2)
• Total private sector turnover amounts to £3,212.3 bn
• Despite having 73.4% of all private sector enterprises,
organisations with a sole director or self-employed owner-manager
only produced 6.6% of turnover
• Small business with between 1 and 49 employees account for
28.4% of total turnover
• Medium sized enterprises account for a further 13.6%
• Large companies account for 51.4%

11. About Innovation for
Growth
Founded in 2010, Innovation for Growth is a business consultancy firm that
specialises in the provision of advice to small and medium sized enterprises. We
work with companies from all sectors undertaking:
innovation audits, innovation advice and the provision of strategy advice so our
clients can maximise their business capabilities and achieve their growth
aspirations.
We also undertake desktop, business research and analysis, enabling our clients
to concentrate on running their business.
For more on our services, please see our website:
www.innovationforgrowth.co.uk
© 2011 Innovation for Growth