Summary

Description

Data shows the number of businesses (local units such as a factory or a shop) by Broad Industry Groups. Analyses are provided for VAT and/or PAYE based enterprises and local units. Where an enterprise has several local units, the location of the enterprise is generally the main operating site or the head office. The SIC groupings changed in 2009 when SIC2007 was used for the first time. Since 2008 the publication has been enhanced to include enterprises based on PAYE employers that are not also registered for VAT, extending the scope from the previous VAT based enterprise publication. This is a major change to the scope of the publication. The increase in units is most noticeable in the VAT-exempt industries of finance (J), education (M), health (N) and public administration (L, O and Q). Analysis is provided for VAT and/or PAYE based enterprises and local units. Where an enterprise has several local units, the location of the enterprise is generally the main operating site or the head office. This data is available on the [ONS website](http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html). Data is an extract compiled from the Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR) recording the number of local units that were live at a reference date in March.