Scottish business data
Scottish Business Births, Deaths and Survival Rates
Scotland recorded 18,420 business births and 16,140 business deaths in 2024. Of the Scottish businesses born in 2019, 39.3% were still active five years later.
Compare all 32 council areas, follow business start-up trends, and download the data behind the figures. This resource covers VAT/PAYE-registered enterprises in ONS Business Demography, rather than every business or newly incorporated company.
At a glance · 2024
Scotland’s start-ups and closures
Business births
10.7% of active enterprises
Business deaths
9.4% of active enterprises
Births minus deaths
Compared with +905 in 2023
Five-year survival
2019 births still active in 2024
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Tables 1.1d, 2.1d, 3.1d, and 5.1a. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
Business deaths are a statistical measure of enterprises ceasing activity, not a count of bankruptcies or business failures. Death counts for 2023 and 2024 are provisional.
The national picture
Business births and deaths in Scotland
Births exceeded deaths by 2,280 in 2024, widening the 905 surplus recorded in 2023. Scotland had recorded more deaths than births in each year from 2020 to 2022.
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Tables 1.1a–d, 2.1a–d, and 3.1a–d; 2019–2024 values from the same workbook edition. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
View the Scotland trend data
| Year | Births | Deaths | Births minus deaths | Birth rate | Death rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20,680 | 18,310 | +2,370 | 11.6% | 10.2% |
| 2020 | 16,850 | 18,270 | −1,420 | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| 2021 | 18,910 | 19,785 | −875 | 10.7% | 11.2% |
| 2022 | 18,870 | 19,925 | −1,055 | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2023 | 18,275 | 17,370 | +905 | 10.6% | 10.1% |
| 2024 | 18,420 | 16,140 | +2,280 | 10.7% | 9.4% |
Birth and death rates divide each count by enterprises active during that year. Births minus deaths is not the change in a March business-stock snapshot.
Local comparison
How does your council area compare?
Choose a council to compare its 2024 enterprise activity and five-year survival with Scotland. The survival figure follows businesses born in 2019.
Fife compared with Scotland
Business births
9.8% birth rate · Scotland 10.7%
Business deaths
10.1% death rate · Scotland 9.4%
Births minus deaths
9,195 active enterprises in 2024
Five-year survival
2019 births · Scotland 39.3%
Fife’s birth rate was 0.9 percentage points below Scotland’s, and its death rate was 0.7 points above. Of 1,495 enterprises born in Fife in 2019, 450 were still active in 2024.
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Tables 1.1d, 2.1d, 3.1d, and 5.1a. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
These are descriptive comparisons, not a rating of where to start a business. Industry mix, registration patterns, and small counts affect local rates. Gaps use the displayed one-decimal rates.
Council data · 2024
Business start-ups and closures across all 32 councils
Seven council areas recorded more deaths than births in 2024 on the rounded counts. North Lanarkshire had the highest birth rate at 13.4%; Glasgow City recorded the most births, at 2,855.
| Aberdeen City | 8,335 | 865 | 820 | 10.4% | 9.8% | +45 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire | 10,430 | 830 | 825 | 8.0% | 7.9% | +5 |
| Angus | 3,410 | 315 | 285 | 9.2% | 8.4% | +30 |
| Argyll and Bute | 3,335 | 260 | 255 | 7.8% | 7.6% | +5 |
| City of Edinburgh | 19,980 | 2,410 | 2,010 | 12.1% | 10.1% | +400 |
| Clackmannanshire | 1,160 | 130 | 100 | 11.2% | 8.6% | +30 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 4,650 | 375 | 310 | 8.1% | 6.7% | +65 |
| Dundee City | 3,895 | 480 | 385 | 12.3% | 9.9% | +95 |
| East Ayrshire | 3,000 | 320 | 315 | 10.7% | 10.5% | +5 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 2,980 | 280 | 285 | 9.4% | 9.6% | −5 |
| East Lothian | 3,195 | 335 | 295 | 10.5% | 9.2% | +40 |
| East Renfrewshire | 2,910 | 315 | 270 | 10.8% | 9.3% | +45 |
| Falkirk | 3,835 | 465 | 380 | 12.1% | 9.9% | +85 |
| Fife | 9,195 | 905 | 925 | 9.8% | 10.1% | −20 |
| Glasgow City | 22,170 | 2,855 | 2,290 | 12.9% | 10.3% | +565 |
| Highland | 9,440 | 865 | 690 | 9.2% | 7.3% | +175 |
| Inverclyde | 1,615 | 175 | 180 | 10.8% | 11.1% | −5 |
| Midlothian | 2,705 | 290 | 235 | 10.7% | 8.7% | +55 |
| Moray | 2,720 | 230 | 245 | 8.5% | 9.0% | −15 |
| Na h-Eileanan Siar | 955 | 75 | 65 | 7.9% | 6.8% | +10 |
| North Ayrshire | 3,075 | 285 | 315 | 9.3% | 10.2% | −30 |
| North Lanarkshire | 8,595 | 1,155 | 930 | 13.4% | 10.8% | +225 |
| Orkney Islands | 900 | 55 | 55 | 6.1% | 6.1% | 0 |
| Perth and Kinross | 5,670 | 465 | 470 | 8.2% | 8.3% | −5 |
| Renfrewshire | 5,090 | 610 | 520 | 12.0% | 10.2% | +90 |
| Scottish Borders | 4,130 | 345 | 340 | 8.4% | 8.2% | +5 |
| Shetland Islands | 960 | 65 | 55 | 6.8% | 5.7% | +10 |
| South Ayrshire | 3,405 | 335 | 315 | 9.8% | 9.3% | +20 |
| South Lanarkshire | 9,580 | 1,155 | 955 | 12.1% | 10.0% | +200 |
| Stirling | 3,730 | 320 | 340 | 8.6% | 9.1% | −20 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 1,985 | 245 | 225 | 12.3% | 11.3% | +20 |
| West Lothian | 5,030 | 610 | 455 | 12.1% | 9.0% | +155 |
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Tables 1.1d, 2.1d, and 3.1d. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
Counts are rounded to multiples of five. Council rates are calculated from those counts and shown to one decimal place. Small differences should be read with care; use the ONS Scotland row for the national total.
Tracking the same businesses
How many Scottish businesses survive five years?
Of 20,680 Scottish enterprises born in 2019, 8,125 were still active in 2024: a five-year survival rate of 39.3%. The UK rate was 38.4% for the same cohort.
The chart follows the same 2019 birth cohort at every point. The council selected above is shown alongside Scotland and the UK.
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Table 5.1a; 2019 birth cohort observed in 2020–2024. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
View the selected cohort’s chart data and counts
| Area | Observed in | Years since birth | 2019 births | Survivors | Survival rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 2020 | 1 | 20,680 | 19,590 | 94.7% |
| Scotland | 2021 | 2 | 20,680 | 15,700 | 75.9% |
| Scotland | 2022 | 3 | 20,680 | 11,870 | 57.4% |
| Scotland | 2023 | 4 | 20,680 | 9,610 | 46.5% |
| Scotland | 2024 | 5 | 20,680 | 8,125 | 39.3% |
| United Kingdom | 2020 | 1 | 363,825 | 344,140 | 94.6% |
| United Kingdom | 2021 | 2 | 363,825 | 271,925 | 74.7% |
| United Kingdom | 2022 | 3 | 363,825 | 203,470 | 55.9% |
| United Kingdom | 2023 | 4 | 363,825 | 163,725 | 45.0% |
| United Kingdom | 2024 | 5 | 363,825 | 139,845 | 38.4% |
| Fife | 2020 | 1 | 1,495 | 1,410 | 94.3% |
| Fife | 2021 | 2 | 1,495 | 1,105 | 73.9% |
| Fife | 2022 | 3 | 1,495 | 670 | 44.8% |
| Fife | 2023 | 4 | 1,495 | 535 | 35.8% |
| Fife | 2024 | 5 | 1,495 | 450 | 30.1% |
The 2019 cohort experienced the pandemic during its first years. These historical outcomes are not a forecast for a business starting today, and survival does not measure profitability.
One-year, three-year, and five-year survival by council
These comparisons use different birth cohorts, all observed in 2024: 2023 births for one-year survival, 2021 births for three-year survival, and 2019 births for five-year survival.
Compare survival rates across all 32 councils
| Aberdeen City | 94.3% | 51.7% | 38.0% | 1,065 | 405 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire | 95.5% | 59.2% | 41.2% | 1,105 | 455 |
| Angus | 93.9% | 55.2% | 41.4% | 350 | 145 |
| Argyll and Bute | 94.4% | 69.5% | 41.5% | 265 | 110 |
| City of Edinburgh | 94.3% | 57.2% | 39.6% | 2,590 | 1,025 |
| Clackmannanshire | 92.0% | 52.0% | 40.7% | 135 | 55 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 94.5% | 68.0% | 46.6% | 365 | 170 |
| Dundee City | 94.4% | 55.7% | 36.5% | 480 | 175 |
| East Ayrshire | 92.4% | 58.7% | 36.5% | 370 | 135 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 93.0% | 59.4% | 36.9% | 325 | 120 |
| East Lothian | 93.9% | 60.9% | 42.3% | 355 | 150 |
| East Renfrewshire | 95.5% | 60.3% | 40.3% | 335 | 135 |
| Falkirk | 91.9% | 54.4% | 41.8% | 490 | 205 |
| Fife | 93.9% | 54.1% | 30.1% | 1,495 | 450 |
| Glasgow City | 93.6% | 56.4% | 40.2% | 3,275 | 1,315 |
| Highland | 94.5% | 63.4% | 43.8% | 880 | 385 |
| Inverclyde | 94.1% | 53.1% | 40.5% | 210 | 85 |
| Midlothian | 95.1% | 63.2% | 44.8% | 290 | 130 |
| Moray | 94.3% | 55.6% | 44.2% | 260 | 115 |
| Na h-Eileanan Siar | 93.8% | 70.0% | 46.7% | 75 | 35 |
| North Ayrshire | 92.5% | 58.0% | 32.5% | 415 | 135 |
| North Lanarkshire | 94.9% | 53.4% | 35.5% | 1,155 | 410 |
| Orkney Islands | 100.0% | 70.0% | 40.0% | 50 | 20 |
| Perth and Kinross | 95.1% | 62.3% | 47.3% | 465 | 220 |
| Renfrewshire | 94.1% | 53.9% | 37.9% | 660 | 250 |
| Scottish Borders | 94.6% | 68.0% | 47.8% | 335 | 160 |
| Shetland Islands | 93.3% | 80.0% | 63.6% | 55 | 35 |
| South Ayrshire | 93.2% | 58.3% | 38.9% | 360 | 140 |
| South Lanarkshire | 93.3% | 56.0% | 37.2% | 1,155 | 430 |
| Stirling | 93.1% | 59.4% | 50.7% | 375 | 190 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 93.5% | 55.6% | 28.1% | 320 | 90 |
| West Lothian | 92.4% | 57.0% | 39.5% | 620 | 245 |
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Tables 5.1e, 5.1c, and 5.1a. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
The 2019 birth and survivor counts are included to show the size of each five-year comparison. Small cohorts can produce large percentage changes.
National benchmarks
Scotland compared with the UK
Scotland’s birth and death rates were both 0.4 percentage points below the UK rates in 2024. Scotland’s five-year survival rate was 0.9 points above the UK rate for businesses born in 2019.
| Area | Birth rate 2024 |
Death rate 2024 |
1-year survival 2023 births |
3-year survival 2021 births |
5-year survival 2019 births |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 11.1% | 9.8% | 93.4% | 53.5% | 38.4% |
| Scotland | 10.7% | 9.4% | 94.0% | 57.6% | 39.3% |
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Tables 1.1d, 2.1d, 3.1d, 5.1a, 5.1c, and 5.1e. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
Local focus
Fife business births and survival
Fife recorded 905 births and 925 deaths in 2024. Its 2019 cohort had 450 survivors from 1,495 births, a five-year survival rate of 30.1%, compared with 39.3% across Scotland.
For the more recent 2021 cohort, Fife’s three-year survival rate was 54.1%, against Scotland’s 57.6%. These figures cover different generations of businesses and should be quoted with their birth years.
Source: ONS Business demography, UK: 2024, Tables 1.1d, 2.1d, 5.1a, and 5.1c. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
Use the data
Downloads and citation
The CSV files include geography codes, reference years, definitions, and workbook references. The survival file contains 510 observations across the UK, Scotland, and all 32 councils.
Citing this resource
Journalists, advisers, and researchers are welcome to reference these comparisons. Please name the data year and link to this page so readers can check the definitions and source tables.
ScottishBusiness.com, Scottish Business Births, Deaths and Survival Rates, updated 25 September 2026. Analysis of ONS Business demography, UK: 2024. https://scottishbusiness.com/scottish-business-startups-survival/
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Underlying data: Office for National Statistics. Calculations and presentation: ScottishBusiness.com.
Definitions and limitations
Sources and methodology
This resource uses the ONS Business demography 2024 workbook, released on 20 November 2025, with the amendment recorded on 15 January 2026. The annual reference year is 2024; the trend uses 2019–2024 values from that same edition. Checked on 25 September 2026.
- What counts as a business?
- An enterprise registered for VAT and/or PAYE within the ONS demography coverage. These figures exclude unregistered businesses and do not count each shop, branch, or workplace separately.
- What is a business birth?
- An enterprise first appearing in the active population after being absent in the previous two years. A recorded birth is not necessarily its first day of trading, and it is not the same as a Companies House incorporation.
- What is a business death?
- An enterprise leaving the active population and not reappearing in the following two years. Recent counts are adjusted for expected reactivations; 2023 and 2024 deaths remain provisional. Deaths are not a direct measure of insolvencies or failures.
- How are the rates calculated?
- Birth rate = births ÷ active enterprises × 100. Death rate = deaths ÷ active enterprises × 100. Survival rate = survivors ÷ the original birth cohort × 100. Counts are rounded to multiples of five; rates are displayed to one decimal place.
- How are councils compared?
- Each row uses the ONS enterprise geography. Differences in industry mix and registration practices can affect the result. Multiple registrations at one address can distort local patterns, and a small cohort makes a rate more sensitive to rounding. The comparisons do not establish causes or rank places by their suitability for a new business.
- Why do other Scottish business totals differ?
- ONS demography measures enterprises active at any point in the reference year. Scottish Government business-stock estimates use a different date and coverage, including estimated unregistered businesses in the national total. For the broader picture, see our Scottish business statistics.
- ONS Business demography reference tables · births: 1.1a–d; deaths: 2.1a–d; active enterprises: 3.1a–d; survival: 5.1a–e.
- ONS Business demography, UK: 2024 bulletin · national context and provisional-data notes.
- ONS Business demography quality and methodology · coverage, definitions, and local comparisons.
Updates: this page will be reviewed when ONS publishes the next annual demography release or revises the source tables. The figures describe the stated reference periods, not live business registrations.