Topic overview

Types of business

So, you've decided to start your own business. You're not alone - there were more than 5.5 million small businesses in the UK at the start of 2022 covering a huge range of business sectors. While the vast majority of these businesses have no employees (4.1 million are sole traders), 1.4 million offer employment to 16.4 million employees.

We've written the guides below covering how to start up in more than 180 different business sectors. Once you've decided which is the right business for you, make sure you do your market research and that you understand the trends in your chosen sector. You also need to be sure your business is set up in the right way and that you comply with the rules affecting your new business.