Company survival rates
Of the companies incorporated each year, how many are still active — snapshot 2026-08-23.
Of the 1,514,783 UK companies incorporated in 2020, 32.2% are still active today. Survival for every incorporation year is charted below — the register's own answer to how long companies live.
Still-active share by incorporation year
Percentage of each year's incorporations still active on the register today. Recent years are high by construction — companies have had less time to die.
Survival by cohort
| Incorporated in | Companies | Still active | Survival |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,514,783 | 488,265 | 32.2% |
| 2019 | 1,344,938 | 443,011 | 32.9% |
| 2018 | 1,302,835 | 390,469 | 30.0% |
| 2017 | 1,233,362 | 348,407 | 28.2% |
| 2016 | 1,197,189 | 312,970 | 26.1% |
| 2015 | 1,027,427 | 289,322 | 28.2% |
| 2014 | 980,097 | 263,411 | 26.9% |
| 2013 | 900,299 | 225,835 | 25.1% |
| 2012 | 825,109 | 196,837 | 23.9% |
| 2011 | 748,306 | 172,337 | 23.0% |
| 2010 | 643,402 | 144,851 | 22.5% |
| 2009 | 533,713 | 119,297 | 22.4% |
| 2008 | 425,902 | 107,013 | 25.1% |
| 2007 | 411,867 | 117,605 | 28.6% |
| 2006 | 322,280 | 106,324 | 33.0% |
| 2005 | 270,966 | 93,461 | 34.5% |
| 2004 | 237,509 | 87,982 | 37.0% |
| 2003 | 291,300 | 112,067 | 38.5% |
| 2002 | 213,384 | 84,927 | 39.8% |
| 2001 | 132,462 | 54,441 | 41.1% |
| 2000 | 124,139 | 51,772 | 41.7% |
| 1999 | 105,737 | 45,416 | 43.0% |
| 1998 | 90,888 | 39,042 | 43.0% |
| 1997 | 80,926 | 35,436 | 43.8% |
| 1996 | 63,279 | 28,725 | 45.4% |
| 1995 | 51,448 | 23,371 | 45.4% |
| 1994 | 43,632 | 20,539 | 47.1% |
| 1993 | 37,020 | 18,106 | 48.9% |
| 1992 | 32,033 | 15,995 | 49.9% |
| 1991 | 29,977 | 15,200 | 50.7% |
| 1990 | 30,119 | 15,340 | 50.9% |
| 1989 | 31,758 | 16,312 | 51.4% |
| 1988 | 31,164 | 16,397 | 52.6% |
| 1987 | 29,729 | 15,759 | 53.0% |
| 1986 | 26,795 | 14,109 | 52.7% |
| 1985 | 21,513 | 11,157 | 51.9% |
| 1984 | 18,915 | 10,092 | 53.4% |
| 1983 | 17,529 | 9,399 | 53.6% |
| 1982 | 16,909 | 9,345 | 55.3% |
| 1981 | 17,592 | 11,455 | 65.1% |
| 1980 | 11,615 | 5,960 | 51.3% |
| 1979 | 10,717 | 5,507 | 51.4% |
| 1978 | 11,055 | 5,848 | 52.9% |
| 1977 | 8,970 | 4,749 | 52.9% |
| 1976 | 8,728 | 4,682 | 53.6% |
| 1975 | 7,264 | 3,862 | 53.2% |
| 1974 | 6,649 | 3,711 | 55.8% |
| 1973 | 9,443 | 5,081 | 53.8% |
| 1972 | 7,893 | 4,339 | 55.0% |
| 1971 | 6,170 | 3,332 | 54.0% |
| 1970 | 4,734 | 2,666 | 56.3% |
Source: Companies House register, nightly cohort rollup. Methodology on the about page. Free to cite with attribution — more at UK company statistics.