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Small Businesses: Closures and Contracts

Asked by Adam DanceLiberal DemocratDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 12 March 2026UIN 119645

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the number of small to medium sized enterprises that are planning to close or contract over the 2026-2027 financial year.

Answered by Blair McDougall

The government is not able to make predictions on total future numbers of businesses starting, closing or contracting. Our plan is to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business, with a culture that supports entrepreneurship in every community and high street.

Our Small Business Plan, launched in July 2025, contains over 200 targeted actions, which will make a real difference to the day-to-day trading operations of small and medium sized businesses and give them the right support to grow and thrive.

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