Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many small businesses ceased to operate in the UK in the financial years (1) 2023–24, (2) 2024–25, and (3) 2025–26; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for these closures.

Inter-Departmental Business Register data shows that the number of UK businesses that ceased operation between financial years 2023-24 and 2025-26 is as follows:

• 2023-24; 312,940
• 2024-25; 292,095
• 2025-26; 285,075

While business deaths data is not available by business size, the UK business population is overwhelmingly composed of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), accounting for 99.9% of firms.

Business death rates are influenced by a range of factors, including business resilience and broader economic and financial conditions.