Business Confidence in the United Kingdom increased to -27 points in the third quarter of 2025 from -33 points in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Business Confidence - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: Great Britain (GB): National Index data was reported at 41.078 Index in Jan 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 41.356 Index for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: Great Britain (GB): National Index data is updated monthly, averaging 48.730 Index from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 56.077 Index in Jul 2021 and a record low of 35.467 Index in Dec 2011. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: Great Britain (GB): National Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

The Business Confidence Index (BCI) of the United Kingdom was 98.7 in May 2025, compared with 99 in the previous month, an indication that business confidence is falling in the UK. During this time period, business confidence was highest in late 2021, and was at its lowest point in March 2009. Taxation overtakes inflation as main business concern In the third quarter of 2023, inflation was seen by 65 percent of UK firms as a major external concern facing their business. At that time, the UK's inflation rate was still at the relatively high figure of 6.7 percent, although this was down from a peak of 11.1 percent in October 2022. As the rate of inflation continued to fall in 2024, the issue became slightly less pressing for UK businesses, with 49 percent seeing it as a main concern in the second quarter of 2024, although it was still ahead of other issues. In the second half of 2024, however, taxation has emerged as the main worry for UK firms, with 63 percent of businesses citing it as an external concern in the fourth quarter of 2024. This is likely related to the rise in National Insurance businesses will have to pay from April 2025 onwards, one of the main measures announced in the Autumn Budget in October 2024. UK business demographics In 2024, there were approximately 5.5 million private business enterprises in the UK, which was down from a peak of 5.98 million in 2020. As of this year, the UK's private sector workforce was around 27.6 million, compared with 6.1 million who worked in the public sector. While most businesses in the UK are small enterprises that employ fewer than ten people, the UK's large businesses are responsible for employing a large share of the workforce, with around 8.2 million people working for large businesses in 2024. The biggest UK-based company, in terms of global employees in 2024 was the Compass Group, with a global workforce of around half a million, followed by Tesco at 345,000 employees.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Investing in Future data was reported at -49.000 Score in Jan 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of -50.000 Score for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Investing in Future data is updated monthly, averaging -30.000 Score from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of -6.000 Score in Aug 2021 and a record low of -64.300 Score in Dec 2011. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Investing in Future data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Investment Index data was reported at 28.714 Index in Jan 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 29.301 Index for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Investment Index data is updated monthly, averaging 40.190 Index from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.979 Index in Jul 2021 and a record low of 26.892 Index in Apr 2011. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Investment Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

Consumer trends time series dataset up to Quarter 1 (January to March) 2025.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Expectations Index data was reported at 47.753 Index in Jan 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 48.086 Index for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Expectations Index data is updated monthly, averaging 54.038 Index from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 64.021 Index in Jun 2021 and a record low of 43.377 Index in Jun 2020. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Expectations Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation data was reported at -26.000 Score in Jan 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of -25.000 Score for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation data is updated monthly, averaging -20.000 Score from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of -1.000 Score in Oct 2020 and a record low of -39.200 Score in Mar 2013. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: Climate for Major Purchases data was reported at -3.000 % Point in Nov 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.000 % Point for Oct 2018. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: Climate for Major Purchases data is updated monthly, averaging -7.000 % Point from Apr 2006 (Median) to Nov 2018, with 152 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.000 % Point in Aug 2015 and a record low of -43.000 % Point in Oct 2008. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: Climate for Major Purchases data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by GFK Group. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.H018: Consumer Confidence: GfK.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Jobs Index data was reported at 60.488 Index in Jan 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 60.208 Index for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Jobs Index data is updated monthly, averaging 62.915 Index from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68.429 Index in Mar 2020 and a record low of 46.676 Index in Mar 2011. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence: GB: Jobs Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

This report analyses retail sales volumes in the United Kingdom. The data is sourced from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in addition to estimates by IBISWorld, and is adjusted for seasonality. The figures are averaged over each financial year (i.e., April through March) from an index of sales with a base value of 100 for the calendar year 2018. Retail sales data is collated by the ONS on a monthly basis. The retail sales index comprises consideration of food retailing, non-food retailing, and non-store retailing (e.g., mail order), albeit excluding sales of automotive fuel. Both the volume and value of UK retail sales are sensitive to: changes in consumer confidence; the propensity of consumers to make discretionary purchases, relative to household disposable income levels; the availability of consumer credit; monetary policy, whereby changes in interest rates can affect the yield on savings or facilitate consumer spending; and a number of other socio-economic factors. Seasonal factors (e.g., Christmas shopping at the tail end of a given calendar year, higher temperatures that may persuade many to pursue recreational rather than retail activities) can result in cyclical deviations from underlying retail sales trends. However, the data presented is adjusted for seasonality.