Mapping the UK Business Landscape and Growth Strategies

Trading services were asked how their turnover in January 2026 compared to December 2025, omitting any seasonal trading. Data are outlined in the middle of the duration of each wave. Almost a 3rd (31%) of trading businesses reported that their turnover had actually decreased in January 2026 compared with the previous month.

The motions are broadly in line with those observed around this time in previous years, with peaks in December followed by little falls in January. The industries with the greatest percentage reporting that turnover reduced in January 2026 were: the accommodation and food service activities industry (52%, which is a 21 portion point rise from December 2025) the other services industry (45%) the arts, entertainment and recreation industry (40%) Roughly 16% of trading organizations reported that their turnover increased in January 2026, which was a 3 percentage point increase compared to December 2025.

For trading companies with 10 or more staff members, 33% reported that their turnover had reduced, which was broadly stable compared to December and January 2025. More than one in five (23%) companies reported that their turnover had increased, up 2 portion points compared with December 2025. Generally, the percentage of businesses reporting that their turnover increased associated to the size of the company.

The exception to this was the proportion for businesses with 250 or more employees, which was 25%, and 5 portion points lower than December 2025 (30%). Trading businesses were asked how they anticipate their turnover to alter in the coming month. This can then be utilized to forecast how the company's turnover will really alter when that calendar month concludes.

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Trends between anticipated turnover and real turnover have broadly moved in the very same direction, the movements for expectations tend to be bigger. For presentational purposes, some response options have been gotten rid of. Information are outlined in the middle of the period of each wave. Care must be taken when analyzing expectations concerns, as the workers reacting on behalf of organizations may not have complete oversight of all of their service's future expectations.

ANSR July UK PRs

More than one in 5 (21%) trading organizations expect their turnover to increase in March 2026. This is a 6 portion point rise from February 2026 however was broadly steady compared with expectations for March 2025 (22%). The proportion of trading organizations anticipating a boost in January 2026 was 13%, while the proportion that reported a real increase in turnover in January 2026 was 16%, suggesting a small pessimism in businesses expectations.

The trends have broadly followed each other given that the questions were introduced in April 2022. The outcomes for March 2026 follow the pattern from previous years, with the percentage of organizations anticipating turnover to increase peaking after a decline in January. Bigger companies were more likely to expect an increase in turnover in March, with the percentage ranging from 20% for services with 0 to 9 staff members, to 42% for organizations with 100 to 249 workers.

For presentational purposes, some action alternatives have actually been eliminated. Information are plotted in the middle of the period of each wave. Caution ought to be taken when interpreting expectations concerns, as the staff members reacting on behalf of companies may not have full oversight of all of their service's future expectations. "." represents information not yet readily available.

Analyzing International Trade Reports for UK Industry

The percentage of trading services that expected a decline in January 2026 was 25%, while the percentage that reported an actual decline in turnover in January 2026 was 31%. The percentage of organizations expecting turnover to decrease for a specific month ahead of time has actually remained considerably lower than the proportion of services reporting a real reduction because month because April 2022.

Nevertheless, expectations for turnover to reduce have regularly followed the exact same pattern, as actual reported turnover reduces throughout this time. Trading services were asked what obstacles, if any, were impacting their turnover in early February 2026. Around 3 in 10 (30%) trading services reported that financial unpredictability was having an effect on their turnover, which was broadly stable with early January 2026.

This is broadly stable compared to early January 2026 and 2 percentage points down compared with a year ago. For trading services with 10 or more workers, expense of labour was the most often reported obstacle, at 36%. This was broadly steady compared to early January 2026. Organizations with 10 to 49 employees were most likely to report cost of labour as a difficulty than organizations with 250 or more workers (37%, compared with 20%). One in five (20%) trading businesses with 10 or more employees showed that they were not currently experiencing any turnover obstacles in early February 2026. Additional details on monetary performance, consisting of all response alternatives categorised by industry and size band, are readily available in our accompanying dataset.