Business demography by area and year

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Next update expected:5 September 2025

Updates

4th September 2025
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Accredited official statistics
Data provider 1
Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Data source 1
Mid-year population estimates
Data provider 2
Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Data source 2
Business demography
Time period covered
December 2002 to November 2024

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

This dataset details business births, deaths and active enterprises by area.

A birth is defined as a business that was present in year t, but did not exist in year t-1 or t-2. Births are identified by making a comparison of annual active population files and identifying those present in the latest one, but not the two previous ones.

A death is defined as a business that was on the active file in year t but no longer present on the active file for year t+1 or t+2. To produce more timely statistics, the UK business demography statistics contain a preliminary death indicator, which includes an adjustment for estimated reactivations. Reactivations occur where a business becomes dormant for a period of less than 2 years, then recommences activity in a manner which complies with a definition of continuity. If the definition of continuity is not met (e.g. if a business recommences activity but at a different location and with a different activity), this would be considered a death followed by a birth. Reactivations can also occur due to lags in the administrative data source (VAT/PAYE) so that a business that continues to trade can appear to die. The deaths data exclude losses to the population as a result of mergers, break-ups, split-offs or other re-structuring.

Active enterprises are businesses that had either turnover or employment at any time during the reference period (December to December).

The economic regions, as set out in Welsh Government’s Economic Action Plan, are made up of the following local authorities:

  • Mid and South West Wales: Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Powys and Ceredigion.
  • South East Wales: Bridgend, The Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Newport.
  • North Wales: Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.

The region of Mid & South West Wales was formerly split into the following two economic regions:

  • Mid Wales: Powys and Ceredigion.
  • South West Wales: Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Within this previous split of the Welsh economic regions, part of Gwynedd local authority (the former district of Meirionydd) lay in the Mid Wales economic region, although this is not represented in the data.

Data collection or calculation

ONS use data from the IDBR to produce business demography statistics, using guidelines found in the Eurostat/OECD manual on Business Demography. The starting point for demography is the concept of a population of active businesses in a reference year. These are defined as businesses that had either turnover or employment at any time during the reference period. Births and deaths are then identified by comparing active populations for different years.

Birth and death rates are calculated as a percentage of active enterprises.

Births, deaths and active enterprises per 10,000 of the population are calculated using ONS' population estimates, which are currently available up to 2023.

Statistical quality

Totals across tables may differ by minor amounts due to the disclosure control methods used.

Please note, levels for Welsh economic regions and all rates (including per 10,000 population figures) have been calculated using the rounded figures, published by the Office for National Statistics.

The latest two years' estimates on deaths are subject to revision, which would normally be made in the following year's publication.

Rounding applied

Business births, deaths and active enterprises have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
economic.stats@gov.wales