The latest articles on DEV Community by Lewis McGuire (@lewismcguire). https://dev.to/lewismcguire https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4213941%2F595a1f4f-81e0-4ff4-ab40-1db16e73ab6f.png https://dev.to/lewismcguire en Lewis McGuire Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://dev.to/lewismcguire/68766-new-uk-companies-in-september-whos-starting-up-and-who-isnt-3d9l https://dev.to/lewismcguire/68766-new-uk-companies-in-september-whos-starting-up-and-who-isnt-3d9l <p>68,766 new companies were registered in the UK in September.</p> <p>Hi, I'm Lewis. I work with the new company data that comes off Companies House every day, mostly helping people who sell to brand new businesses find them early. Every month I pull out what's changed, and this month there's a fair bit.</p> <h2> The headline </h2> <p>That's around 2,300 a day. Up 17% on August, which is usually quiet with folk away, and 4% down on last September. So far this year 592,743 companies have been registered. March was the busiest month at 73,470 and August the quietest at 58,697.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fm1camgcpswq46igeuyt6.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fm1camgcpswq46igeuyt6.png" alt="Bar chart of new UK companies each month in 2026: 73k in March, 59k in August, 69k in September" width="800" height="508"></a></p> <h2> Who's starting up </h2> <p>Software is the big one, and with the AI boom that's no real surprise. Web and software firms are up 64% on the same three months last year, 6,882 from July to September against 4,190. Online retail is up 18% to just over 13,000. Plumbing and heating firms are up 20%, architecture and engineering 12%, and education and training 11%.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F9qkv42vqm38vx1nm067x.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F9qkv42vqm38vx1nm067x.png" alt="Bar chart of the change in new companies by trade, July to September against last year: web and software up 64%, landlords down 21%" width="799" height="555"></a></p> <p>If you're an accountant, an insurer, or you build websites, that's a lot of new software firms and online shops that need you right now. Most of them sort their accountant, insurance and website in the first few months.</p> <h2> Who's slowing down </h2> <p>Landlords. Property investment is still the single biggest trade, with 5,013 new companies in September, but over the quarter it's down 21% on last year. Property management is down 16%, recruitment 18%, and new accountancy practices 12%.</p> <p>If you sell to landlords, there are fewer new ones coming through than a year ago, so it's worth getting to the ones that are a bit sooner.</p> <p>One thing worth knowing: the register only keeps companies that are still going, so last year's months have had longer to lose a few. That makes the rises look a wee bit better than they are, and the falls a bit smaller.</p> <h2> Thanks for reading </h2> <p>Thanks for reading.</p> <p>The full monthly numbers are on <a href="https://justregistered.co.uk/reports/uk-new-companies-september-2026/?utm_source=devto" rel="noopener noreferrer">JustRegistered</a>, along with every new company by trade and town.</p> <p>Lewis</p> uk startup business smallbusiness