New company registrations, week of 12 Oct 2026

Every week. Every town. Minus the noise.

How many new companies registered in the UK and every town, how many were struck out as shells, holding companies and formation-agent registrations, and how many real businesses were left. A new week every Tuesday, free to explore and cite.

12–18 Oct 2026 Latest week

Fareham had too few new companies that week to show. These are the UK's figures.

15,537

new companies registered in the UK
+288 (+1.9%) on the week before

36.1%

struck out as noise (5,613 companies)

9,924

real, new businesses left
+284 (+2.9%) on the week before

87.5%

of those researched have no website we could find

Firstfile count of the Companies House register: incorporations 12–18 Oct 2026, by registered post town. Frozen when published. Aggregate counts only.

The week in short

In the week of 12 October 2026, 15,537 new companies registered in the UK, 1.9% more than the week before. Firstfile's rules struck out 36.1% as noise, leaving 9,924 likely new businesses.

London had the most new companies, with 4,153, and 63.2% of them were struck out. Outside London, Manchester came first with 489. Manchester saw the biggest rise in kept companies, up 87 on the week before. The busiest registered office was 71–75 Shelton Street, WC2H, which took 672 new companies. The most common sector among the kept companies was consultancy.

Week by week

New companies in the UK

Pick a week to see its figures. Green is kept, red is struck out.

Noise

Why companies were struck out

A company can match more than one rule, so these can add up to more than the total. The filter is rules, not AI.

Mass-registration address4,849
Holding-style company name860
Holding or dormant activity code873
Other (company type, PO box, overseas)68
Where

Busiest postcode districts

Where the kept companies are based.

E1111
E6107
M4077
WV658
E1439
RM637
IG136
E1735
CR034
E731
Sectors

What they actually do

From AI models reading each kept company and its website.

Consultancy1,198
Construction & trades1,006
Online retail998
Software & IT913
Food & drink venue911
Property letting762
Shop / retail683
Haulage & courier571
Health & care428
Motor trade374
Hair, beauty & wellbeing368
Cleaning & grounds281
Security services61
Professions

Leads for each profession

Kept companies scoring 60 or more. Scores are rules, not AI.

Accountants5,542
Insurance brokers6,960
Web designers5,590
Card payments & tills2,758
Payroll & HR4,479
Van & fleet leasing2,288
Leaderboard

Most new companies this week

384 towns with at least 5 kept companies this week. Click a town to see its figures.

#TownMost new companiesNewKeptNoiseKept, on last week
1London4,1534,1531,52863.2%+52
2Manchester48948932633.3%+87
3Birmingham40340328928.3%+8
4Glasgow18718713129.9%-21
5Liverpool16816812525.6%+38
6Leeds15115111027.2%+1
7Leicester1351359827.4%-32
8Nottingham12912910717.1%+9
9Bristol12612610417.5%+1
10Wolverhampton1181189519.5%+10
11Ilford1131137831.0%-6
12Coventry1121129614.3%+40
13Edinburgh1111116640.5%-3
14Bradford1091098918.3%+16
15Bury St. Edmunds103103595.1%-4
16Cardiff1021026734.3%+12
17Sheffield98987820.4%+3
18Luton93937321.5%+6
19Bolton90905835.6%+1
20Harrow86865338.4%+2
21Doncaster85854843.5%+6
22Mildenhall83831384.3%+2
23Newcastle upon Tyne81816816.0%+3
24Derby78784542.3%-5
25Romford77775923.4%+14
26Stoke on Trent70706112.9%+11
27Cambridge65653841.5%+12
28Oldham65655220.0%+5
29Northampton64645514.1%+10
30Southampton5959573.4%+11
31Slough58585210.3%-7
32Salford57573931.6%+15
33Milton Keynes55554223.6%-6
34Norwich55554321.8%+13
35Middlesbrough5454499.3%+15
36Hounslow5252479.6%+12
37Peterborough50503922.0%0
38Poole50502452.0%-2
39Ipswich49492842.9%+6
40Reading4949458.2%-10
41Belfast47473525.5%-1
42Stockport45453620.0%-5
43Blackburn44443618.2%+2
44Croydon44443325.0%-22
45Huddersfield44443618.2%+2
46Swansea44443129.5%+10
47Hayes43433616.3%+7
48Walsall4343399.3%+9
49Warrington43432541.9%-12
50Bedford42422931.0%-3
51Preston42423321.4%-5
52Ashford41413319.5%+10
53Edgware41412539.0%+1
54Hull41413612.2%-3
55Rotherham40402732.5%+9
56Ruislip,39391074.4%-1
57Solihull39392048.7%-2
58Southall39393510.3%+7
59Bournemouth38383118.4%-8
60Brighton38383021.1%+1
61Wembley38382923.7%-5
62Gloucester37372143.2%-5
63Aberdeen36363113.9%+4
64Colchester36362433.3%-5
65Enfield36362433.3%+7
66Dagenham3535342.9%+2
67Altrincham34341555.9%+1
68Stockton-On-Tees33332718.2%+5
69Oxford3232306.2%+5
70Aylesbury3131289.7%+11
71Basildon31312519.4%+11
72Exeter31312132.3%-1
73Watford31312132.3%-9
74Swindon30302613.3%-5
75Uxbridge30301743.3%-9
76Cheltenham29292127.6%+1
77Wakefield29292513.8%+3
78St. Albans28282028.6%+7
79York28282221.4%-5
80High Wycombe27272025.9%+1
81Lincoln27272218.5%-1
82Orpington27271640.7%+7
83Plymouth27272314.8%-9
84St. Helens27272025.9%+7
85West Bromwich27272218.5%+2
86Chatham26262119.2%+9
87Dartford26261830.8%+1
88Essex2626253.8%+2
89Maidstone26262119.2%+5
90Rochdale26262215.4%-9
91Worcester26262119.2%+5
92Barnsley25251828.0%-3
93Bury25252116.0%+4
94Halifax25251348.0%-6
95Newport25252212.0%-8
96Nuneaton24241825.0%+1
97Portsmouth24241825.0%+3
98Blackpool23231630.4%+10
99Borehamwood23231343.5%+3
100Gravesend23231917.4%+1
101Kettering23231630.4%+8
102Sunderland23232013.0%+1
103Telford2323218.7%+4
104Wellingborough23232013.0%+5
105Wigan23231726.1%+2
106Woking2323218.7%+10
107Leamington Spa22221818.2%+8
108Sevenoaks22221436.4%+2
109Worthing22221722.7%+10
110Dudley21211623.8%+7
111Eastbourne21211147.6%-1
112Gateshead21211719.0%-14
113Grays21211623.8%-6
114Guildford2121199.5%+11
115Waterlooville2121957.1%+3
116Barnet2020955.0%-2
117Basingstoke2020195.0%+2
118Canterbury20201620.0%+6
119Cheadle20201240.0%+4
120Chelmsford20201715.0%-21
121Dundee20201430.0%-1
122Loughborough20201335.0%-2
123Sutton20201525.0%-4
124Newry1919857.9%0
125Stevenage19191521.1%+9
126Tamworth19191331.6%+6
127Barking18181611.1%-16
128Bath18181611.1%+3
129Bromley18181233.3%0
130Burnley18181516.7%-2
131Chester18181327.8%0
132Harlow18181422.2%0
133Hartlepool18181611.1%+7
134Southend-On-Sea18181138.9%+1
135Taunton18181044.4%-3
136Darlington17171041.2%+1
137Dunstable17171417.6%+1
138Ely17171229.4%+6
139Epsom17171229.4%+7
140Greenford17171511.8%+8
141Hornchurch17171511.8%-7
142Leigh-On-Sea1717947.1%
143Rugby17171511.8%+2
144Smethwick17171511.8%+5
145Stanmore17171417.6%+4
146Tunbridge Wells1717947.1%0
147Twickenham17171417.6%
148Wirral17171417.6%-3
149Wrexham17171041.2%+5
150Bromsgrove1616850.0%-1
151Chorley16161318.8%+1
152Crawley16161318.8%-2
153Gillingham16161412.5%+1
154Kingston upon Thames16161225.0%+1
155Nelson16161318.8%-1
156Sittingbourne16161225.0%0
157Boston1515146.7%0
158Burton-On-Trent1515146.7%+1
159Dewsbury1515146.7%+2
160Gerrards Cross1515940.0%+3
161Hove15151126.7%-4
162Maidenhead15151126.7%+1
163Mitcham15151033.3%+1
164Newark15151220.0%+6
165Rochester15151313.3%-5
166Scunthorpe15151126.7%-3
167Southport1515146.7%0
168Sutton Coldfield15151033.3%-5
169West Drayton1515150.0%+1
170Banbury1414137.1%+6
171Bridgend1414137.1%+3
172Chesterfield1414935.7%-5
173Chichester14141028.6%0
174Feltham14141028.6%-4
175Harrogate14141214.3%0
176Pinner1414564.3%0
177Rainham14141028.6%0
178Redditch1414935.7%+4
179Tonbridge14141028.6%+3
180Waltham Cross1414935.7%-3
181Warwick14141214.3%+2
182Weston-Super-Mare14141121.4%+2
183Winchester14141214.3%+7
184Bishop's Stortford1313127.7%+6
185Grimsby13131115.4%-5
186Hemel Hempstead13131023.1%-2
187Macclesfield13131115.4%+3
188Morden1313746.2%-6
189Oldbury1313127.7%-1
190Stafford1313127.7%+1
191Swadlincote1313130.0%+8
192Wallington1313930.8%+2
193Wimborne1313838.5%+1
194Wokingham13131023.1%-5
195Ashton-Under-Lyne1212741.7%-2
196Batley1212118.3%0
197Brentwood1212925.0%-6
198Falkirk1212120.0%+4
199Great Yarmouth1212833.3%-3
200Hitchin1212833.3%
201Horsham1212118.3%-4
202Mansfield12121016.7%-1
203Margate1212118.3%+4
204Paisley1212118.3%+4
205Perth12121016.7%+2
206Abingdon1111736.4%-4
207Beckenham1111645.5%
208Bexleyheath1111736.4%-1
209Brentford1111827.3%
210Carlisle1111554.5%-2
211Farnham1111109.1%0
212Isleworth1111109.1%+1
213Lancaster1111827.3%-3
214Motherwell1111109.1%0
215Newbury1111109.1%
216Newcastle1111918.2%-1
217Northwich1111110.0%+6
218Ormskirk1111736.4%
219Pontefract1111110.0%-1
220Rushden1111827.3%
221Salisbury1111827.3%+2
222Stirling1111918.2%-1
223Thornton-Cleveleys1111736.4%
224Westcliff-On-Sea1111827.3%0
225Wickford1111109.1%-3
226Aldershot1010730.0%
227Andover1010820.0%-1
228Ayr1010100.0%
229Cannock1010820.0%-4
230Chippenham1010730.0%+1
231Craigavon1010100.0%+3
232Durham1010640.0%-11
233Eastleigh1010910.0%-2
234Erith1010820.0%-2
235Farnborough1010910.0%
236Hatfield1010100.0%0
237Haywards Heath1010730.0%0
238Huntingdon1010100.0%+3
239Keighley1010730.0%-1
240Kilmarnock1010910.0%+2
241Kirkcaldy1010820.0%-3
242Loughton1010550.0%-4
243Maldon1010640.0%
244North Shields1010730.0%
245Port Talbot1010820.0%
246Ramsgate1010730.0%-1
247Richmond1010100.0%-3
248South Shields1010100.0%+3
249Torquay1010910.0%0
250Wallasey1010820.0%-1
251Walton-On-Thames1010820.0%
252Welling1010820.0%+2
253Woodford Green1010550.0%-2
254Accrington99722.2%-9
255Bracknell9990.0%+2
256Chigwell99722.2%-4
257Corby9990.0%+4
258Crewe99722.2%-5
259Cwmbran99811.1%
260Dungannon9990.0%+2
261Egham99633.3%
262Folkestone9990.0%-1
263Gosport99633.3%-1
264Hinckley99811.1%+3
265King's Lynn99633.3%-8
266Melksham99544.4%
267Northwood99633.3%+1
268Redhill9990.0%0
269Rickmansworth99811.1%+3
270Scarborough99722.2%0
271Sidcup99544.4%-1
272South Croydon99544.4%-4
273Surbiton99544.4%-6
274Tilbury9990.0%
275Tipton99811.1%-3
276Truro99633.3%+1
277Westerham99811.1%
278Willenhall9990.0%+1
279Witney99633.3%
280Workington99633.3%
281Yeovil99811.1%+3
282Alton8880.0%
283Barnstaple8880.0%
284Barry88712.5%
285Birkenhead8880.0%-4
286Bognor Regis8880.0%
287Congleton88712.5%0
288Dunmow88537.5%
289Evesham8880.0%
290Hoddesdon88712.5%+1
291Kidderminster88712.5%-3
292Leatherhead88625.0%+1
293Londonderry8880.0%+1
294Pontypridd88537.5%-3
295Royston88537.5%0
296Runcorn8880.0%+3
297Shrewsbury88712.5%-7
298Stalybridge88712.5%
299Wallingford88712.5%
300Windsor88712.5%0
301Bangor7770.0%+1
302Barrow in Furness77528.6%0
303Benfleet7770.0%+1
304Berkhamsted77528.6%
305Bicester77614.3%-1
306Bilston77528.6%0
307Bootle7770.0%+2
308Braintree7770.0%-1
309Camberley7770.0%-2
310Chadwell Heath7770.0%
311Christchurch77614.3%-8
312Coulsdon77614.3%
313Downpatrick7770.0%
314Droitwich77614.3%0
315Fleet7770.0%-1
316Grantham7770.0%
317Halesowen77614.3%+1
318Hamilton77528.6%-5
319Hereford77614.3%-2
320Ilkeston77528.6%
321Inverness7770.0%-1
322Llanelli77614.3%-1
323Lutterworth77528.6%-3
324Nantwich77528.6%
325Newton Abbot77614.3%0
326Potters Bar77614.3%
327Rayleigh77528.6%
328Stourbridge7770.0%-1
329Ware7770.0%
330Airdrie66516.7%-1
331Bathgate6660.0%
332Blyth6660.0%
333Chessington6660.0%
334Cleethorpes66516.7%
335Darwen66516.7%
336Epping6660.0%
337Frome6660.0%
338Glenrothes66516.7%
339Halstead66516.7%
340Hampton66516.7%
341Herne Bay66516.7%0
342Holywood66516.7%
343Hook6660.0%0
344Kidlington6660.0%
345Livingston6660.0%+1
346Lymington6660.0%
347Melton Mowbray66516.7%
348Neath6660.0%-2
349Newcastle-Under-Lyme6660.0%
350Newmarket6660.0%
351Penzance6660.0%
352Rochford6660.0%
353Rossendale6660.0%
354Rugeley66516.7%
355Saffron Walden6660.0%
356Sale6660.0%
357Selby6660.0%-2
358Skelmersdale66516.7%
359Southsea66516.7%0
360Stanford-Le-Hope6660.0%+1
361Stratford-Upon-Avon66516.7%
362Stroud6660.0%-2
363Wednesbury66516.7%-2
364Weybridge66516.7%
365Wishaw6660.0%
366Worksop6660.0%-1
367Alloa5550.0%
368Bingley5550.0%0
369Clacton-On-Sea5550.0%-2
370Daventry5550.0%-1
371Dorking5550.0%
372Heanor5550.0%
373Hertford5550.0%
374Herts5550.0%
375Larbert5550.0%
376Leyland5550.0%-3
377Malvern5550.0%
378Morpeth5550.0%
379Musselburgh5550.0%-3
380New Malden5550.0%-3
381Redcar5550.0%-3
382St Neots5550.0%
383Staines-Upon-Thames5550.0%-3
384Tiverton5550.0%
Addresses

The busiest registered offices

There's nothing wrong with these addresses: most are formation agents, virtual offices and accountants. But post sent there reaches a mailroom, not a founder.

Registered officeNew that weekCompanies at address
71–75 Shelton Street, WC2H67282,584
66 Paul Street, EC2A33011,694
128 City Road, EC1V28939,926
20 Wenlock Road, N115919,233
167–169 Great Portland Street, W1W11727,865
82a James Carter Road, IP28847,330
124 City Road, EC1V6717,504
124–128 City Road, EC1V605,052
5 Brayford Square, E1384,278
Suite Ra01 195–197 Wood Street, E1731722
Use these figures

Cite it, download it, check it

Free to quote with credit. Each week has its own permanent address, and its figures never change once published.

Firstfile New Business Index, week of 12 October 2026, https://firstfile.co.uk/new-business-index/2026-10-12

Download this week's towns (CSV)

How it's counted: companies incorporated Monday to Sunday, by registered post town, as read from Companies House. The week is frozen two days after it ends, so later changes to the register or to our rules don't alter it. Older weeks may not show sectors or websites, because we research companies for 30 days. Towns need at least 5 kept companies in a week to appear. Registered post town is where a company's office is, not always where it trades. See every source we use. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

About the index

What the New Business Index is

Headline company formation figures count every new registration, including shells, holding companies and companies set up in bulk by formation agents. The New Business Index counts them too, then shows what's left once that noise is taken out.

Each week we read every company incorporated on the UK register and apply the same published rules. You get the total, the number struck out and why, and the likely new businesses that remain, for the UK and for each town with enough new companies to count.

Use it to see how many businesses are really starting in your area, compare towns, follow the trend over time, or find a figure for a story or report. It's free, and you don't need an account.

Questions

About the figures

What is the New Business Index?

A free weekly count of new UK companies, for the whole country and each town. It shows how many companies registered, how many our rules struck out as noise, and how many likely new businesses were left.

How often is it updated?

Every week. Each edition covers companies incorporated from Monday to Sunday and normally appears on the following Tuesday.

What counts as noise?

Companies registered at mass-registration addresses, companies with holding-style names, companies with only holding or dormant activity codes, and types that aren't normal trading companies. Being struck out doesn't mean a company is improper, and the rules will catch a few real businesses.

Why does London have so much noise?

Many formation agents and virtual offices have London addresses, so a company based anywhere can be registered there. Registered office is where a company's post goes, not always where it trades.

Do the figures change after they're published?

No. Each week is frozen when it's published, so a figure you quote today will still be on the page later, even if the register or our rules change.

Can I use these figures?

Yes. Quote them with credit to Firstfile and a link to the week you used. Each week has a citation line and a CSV of its town figures.

Does the index name any companies?

No. Every figure is an aggregate count. The only addresses shown are the busiest registered offices.

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