Scottish Business Statistics 2026
Scotland had an estimated 384,280 private-sector businesses in March 2025, according to the latest Scottish Government business-stock data. This page brings together official statistics on Scottish businesses, SMEs, sectors, council areas, business births and deaths, trading conditions, and company registrations.
Each dataset is dated because official sources measure different parts of Scotland's business population. The charts and tables below use Scottish Government, ONS, Companies House, and UK Government data.
Scotland's business population
The headline figures below use the Scottish Government's latest Businesses in Scotland release unless stated otherwise.
Source: Scottish Government, Businesses in Scotland 2025. ScottishBusiness.com analysis.
How many businesses are there in Scotland?
The estimated private-sector business stock rose from 237,895 in 2000 to 384,280 in 2025. The longer-term increase has been much stronger among estimated unregistered businesses than VAT/PAYE-registered businesses.
Businesses operating in Scotland, 2000–2025
Total, registered, and estimated unregistered private-sector businesses.
Source: Businesses in Scotland 2025, Time Series 1 and 2. Counts rounded to the nearest 5.
View the 2000–2025 data table
| Year | Total businesses | Registered | Estimated unregistered |
|---|
Scottish businesses by company size
Most Scottish private-sector businesses are very small. Around 72% have no employees, while businesses with 250 or more employees account for less than 1% of the business population.
Number of businesses by employment size
Private-sector businesses operating in Scotland, March 2025.
Source: Businesses in Scotland 2025, Table B.
| Business size | Businesses | Share | Employment | Turnover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No employees | 276,380 | 71.92% | 320,580 | £16.61bn |
| 1–49 employees | 101,545 | 26.42% | 622,400 | £81.35bn |
| 50–249 employees | 3,930 | 1.02% | 278,240 | £49.56bn |
| 250+ employees | 2,425 | 0.63% | 952,950 | £204.82bn |
Employment figures are jobs rather than unique people. Turnover excludes VAT, and financial-sector turnover is not directly comparable with other sectors.
Biggest business sectors in Scotland
Construction has the largest estimated business population, followed by professional, scientific and technical activities, then wholesale, retail and motor trade. Together, those three groups account for 36.3% of Scotland's private-sector businesses.
Scottish businesses by sector
All private-sector businesses, including estimated unregistered businesses.
Source: Businesses in Scotland 2025, Table C.
Browse related Scottish business sectors
Official statistical sectors do not always match ScottishBusiness directory categories exactly. The links below point to relevant directory hubs where there is a clear relationship.
View all sector figures
| Sector | Businesses |
|---|
Scottish businesses by council area
Glasgow City had the largest registered private-sector business count in March 2025, followed by the City of Edinburgh. These figures cover VAT/PAYE-registered businesses and should not be compared directly with the all-business sector totals above.
10 council areas with the most registered businesses
Registered private-sector businesses operating in each area, March 2025.
Source: Businesses in Scotland 2025, Table 5. A business can be counted in more than one council area when it operates in more than one area.
All 32 Scottish council areas
Follow a council-area link to browse businesses listed on ScottishBusiness.com in that region.
| Council area / directory hub | 2025 businesses | 2024 businesses | Annual change | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Businesses in AberdeenAberdeen City | 8,520 | 8,700 | −180 | 123,480 |
| Businesses in AberdeenshireAberdeenshire | 12,750 | 12,885 | −135 | 87,470 |
| Businesses in AngusAngus | 3,970 | 3,980 | −10 | 29,150 |
| Businesses in Argyll & ButeArgyll and Bute | 4,105 | 4,100 | +5 | 27,210 |
| Businesses in EdinburghCity of Edinburgh | 19,690 | 19,300 | +390 | 281,950 |
| Businesses in ClackmannanshireClackmannanshire | 1,245 | 1,220 | +25 | 10,680 |
| Businesses in Dumfries & GallowayDumfries and Galloway | 6,725 | 6,680 | +45 | 47,330 |
| Businesses in DundeeDundee City | 4,040 | 3,985 | +55 | 49,070 |
| Businesses in East AyrshireEast Ayrshire | 3,360 | 3,380 | −20 | 25,640 |
| Businesses in East DunbartonshireEast Dunbartonshire | 2,920 | 2,960 | −40 | 19,400 |
| Businesses in East LothianEast Lothian | 3,390 | 3,355 | +35 | 26,700 |
| Businesses in East RenfrewshireEast Renfrewshire | 2,825 | 2,790 | +35 | 15,970 |
| Businesses in FalkirkFalkirk | 4,010 | 3,985 | +25 | 46,030 |
| Businesses in FifeFife | 9,380 | 9,485 | −105 | 101,080 |
| Businesses in GlasgowGlasgow City | 21,405 | 21,065 | +340 | 336,100 |
| Businesses in HighlandHighland | 11,610 | 11,485 | +125 | 88,610 |
| Businesses in InverclydeInverclyde | 1,670 | 1,670 | 0 | 16,280 |
| Businesses in MidlothianMidlothian | 2,810 | 2,800 | +10 | 25,260 |
| Businesses in MorayMoray | 3,370 | 3,400 | −30 | 28,490 |
| Businesses in Na h-Eileanan SiarNa h-Eileanan Siar | 1,275 | 1,275 | 0 | 7,490 |
| Businesses in North AyrshireNorth Ayrshire | 3,260 | 3,300 | −40 | 28,670 |
| Businesses in North LanarkshireNorth Lanarkshire | 8,515 | 8,385 | +130 | 96,880 |
| Businesses in Orkney IslandsOrkney Islands | 1,555 | 1,545 | +10 | 8,390 |
| Businesses in Perth & KinrossPerth and Kinross | 6,615 | 6,625 | −10 | 56,690 |
| Businesses in RenfrewshireRenfrewshire | 5,190 | 5,190 | 0 | 67,670 |
| Businesses in Scottish BordersScottish Borders | 5,220 | 5,270 | −50 | 33,360 |
| Businesses in Shetland IslandsShetland Islands | 1,660 | 1,650 | +10 | 8,770 |
| Businesses in South AyrshireSouth Ayrshire | 3,840 | 3,825 | +15 | 34,540 |
| Businesses in South LanarkshireSouth Lanarkshire | 9,715 | 9,595 | +120 | 82,410 |
| Businesses in StirlingStirling | 4,175 | 4,195 | −20 | 37,550 |
| Businesses in West DunbartonshireWest Dunbartonshire | 2,015 | 2,000 | +15 | 18,420 |
| Businesses in West LothianWest Lothian | 5,350 | 5,240 | +110 | 61,490 |
Business births and deaths in Scotland
ONS recorded 18,420 business births and 16,140 business deaths in Scotland during 2024. This dataset covers VAT/PAYE enterprises active during the year, so it is a different measure from the March business-stock snapshot.
Scottish business births and deaths, 2021–2024
VAT/PAYE enterprises, ONS Business Demography.
Source: ONS, Business demography, UK: 2024.
How many Scottish businesses survive?
Scottish SME statistics
The Small Business Survey covers SME employers with 1–249 employees and a presence in Scotland. It measures business plans and experiences rather than the full SME population.
Biggest obstacles reported by Scottish SME employers
Share citing each issue in the Small Business Survey.
Source: Scottish Government, Small Business Survey Scotland 2024–2025.
Scottish Business Pulse
Latest weighted Scotland estimates from the Business Insights and Conditions Survey. These figures cover businesses with 10 or more employees and a presence in Scotland.
Fieldwork: 17–30 August 2026. Source: Scottish Government, BICS weighted Scotland estimates, wave 163, published 10 September 2026.
Companies registered in Scotland
Companies House recorded 278,477 companies on the Scottish register at the end of June 2026. This is a company-register figure, not an estimate of all businesses operating in Scotland.
Scottish company incorporations and strike-offs, Q2 2026
Monthly Companies House activity for April, May, and June.
Source: Companies House, Incorporated companies in the UK: April to June 2026.
Scotland vs the UK
For a like-for-like comparison, the Scottish Government restricts its Scottish business estimate to match the coverage used in UK Business Population Estimates.
Businesses per 10,000 adults
Scottish Government like-for-like comparison with UK Business Population Estimates 2025.
Sources: Scottish Government, Businesses in Scotland 2025 and UK Government, Business Population Estimates 2025.
Why do Scottish business statistics give different totals?
Different official datasets answer different questions. The safest figure for “businesses operating in Scotland” is not the same as the number of companies incorporated or headquartered in Scotland.
| Statistic | Latest figure | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses operating in Scotland | 384,280 | Scottish Government total, including estimated unregistered businesses |
| Registered businesses operating in Scotland | 175,035 | VAT/PAYE businesses with a presence in Scotland |
| DBT Scotland business estimate | 361,075 | Business Population Estimates, based around headquarters location and DBT coverage |
| ONS registered businesses based in Scotland | ~173,000 | VAT/PAYE businesses, headquarters-based, rounded |
| ONS active enterprises in Scotland | 172,065 | Registered enterprises active during calendar year 2024 |
| Companies on the Scottish register | 278,477 | Companies incorporated/registered in Scotland, end of June 2026 |
Sources and methodology
Figures are taken from official primary sources. Reference periods vary, so the date shown beside each chart matters. ScottishBusiness.com does not average incompatible datasets into a single business count.
- Businesses in Scotland 2025
Scottish Government, published 3 December 2025. Business-stock snapshot: March 2025. Employment mainly relates to 2024, and turnover mainly to 2023. - Business demography, UK: 2024
Office for National Statistics, published 20 November 2025. Used for business births, deaths, and survival. - Business Population Estimates 2025
Department for Business and Trade, published 2 October 2025. Used for like-for-like UK comparison. - Small Business Survey Scotland 2024–2025
Scottish Government / DBT, published 27 February 2026. Covers SME employers rather than every SME. - BICS weighted Scotland estimates, wave 163
Scottish Government, published 10 September 2026. Fieldwork 17–30 August 2026. Covers businesses with 10+ employees and a presence in Scotland. - Incorporated companies in the UK: April to June 2026
Companies House, published 30 July 2026. Used for the Scottish company register and Q2 company activity.
Using these Scottish business statistics?
You are welcome to reference figures, tables, and ScottishBusiness.com analysis from this page. Please credit ScottishBusiness.com and link to this page when using our analysis or visualisations.