Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to reports of a decline in the total number of registered businesses in the UK.

The number of UK businesses decreased by 1.5% between 2021 and 2022, equivalent to 82,000 businesses.[1] This includes a significant amount of churn within the business population, with firms entering as well as closing.

The government provides extensive support and advice to businesses, including the free Business Support Helpline, 38 Growth Hubs across England and the Help to Grow: Management scheme.

Businesses can also access government-backed finance from the British Business Bank, such as via the Start Up Loans programme and Recovery Loan Scheme.

[1] Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2022, BEIS