A published place is a fixed set of official GSS codes, not a place name or a postcode prefix. Postcodes are mapped from the full postcode through the ONS Postcode Directory; records that cannot be mapped are reported separately, never reassigned to a neighbouring authority. See the methodology for the geography basis and its limitations, including what a registered office is and is not.
Companies by local authority
Company formation and early-stage counts for UK local authorities, mapped from each company's registered-office postcode to an official local-authority district.
The published locations at a glance
| Location | Trend | Statistical boundary | Companies (12 months) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | Greater London — the 32 London boroughs and the City of London | 256,508 | ▲ 4.6% | |
| Birmingham | Birmingham metropolitan district | 16,506 | ▼ 7.7% | |
| Manchester | City of Manchester metropolitan district | 14,883 | ▲ 2.9% | |
| Leeds | Leeds metropolitan district | 8,248 | ▼ 2.9% | |
| Glasgow | Glasgow City council area | 8,016 | ▼ 3.3% | |
| Liverpool | Liverpool metropolitan district | 5,990 | ▼ 6.3% | |
| Edinburgh | City of Edinburgh council area | 5,662 | ▲ 1.8% | |
| Leicester | Leicester unitary authority | 4,819 | ▼ 13.9% | |
| Sheffield | Sheffield metropolitan district | 4,479 | ▼ 11.6% | |
| Bristol | Bristol, City of — unitary authority | 3,931 | ▼ 5.7% | |
| Cardiff | Cardiff unitary authority | 3,680 | ▲ 2.0% | |
| Nottingham | Nottingham unitary authority | 3,348 | ▼ 6.4% | |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | Newcastle upon Tyne metropolitan district | 2,751 | ▼ 2.6% | |
| Cambridge | Cambridge non-metropolitan district | 1,800 | ▼ 10.0% | |
| Reading | Reading unitary authority | 1,607 | ▼ 5.0% |
Trend shows the shape of the last 12 months for each place. Change compares the latest 12 months with the previous 12.
Why some places are not listed
A location page is published only when it passes the data gates: at least 250 eligible incorporations in the latest 12 months, a 90% postcode-mapping rate, at least 6 industries above the reporting threshold, 24 complete months of history, a written boundary note and a manual review. We do not publish placeholder pages for places that do not clear the bar.