Business Activity Research
Analysis of UK corporate activity - company incorporations, winding-up petitions, and digital filing adoption - tracked through Companies House data.
Articles
All Business Activity Articles
UK winding-up petitions are rising sharply in 2026, and HMRC is driving it
UK winding-up petitions rose 230% in the 12 months to May 2026, with HMRC estimated to account for around 60% of activity, signalling renewed financial stress.
Read articleGrowth in UK company incorporations
UK incorporations hit 830,000 in 2025 and rolling 12-month growth turned positive again in 2026, up 2.3% as tax and gig economy shifts drive new company formation.
Read articleHow Many Companies File in XBRL vs Paper?
96% of UK company accounts were filed in XBRL format in May 2026, up from 91% in January 2025, as businesses move away from paper ahead of the 2028 mandatory digital filing deadline.
Read articleAbout this research
Spark Intel's business activity research analyses structural trends in UK corporate behaviour - how companies form, file, and fail. Data is sourced primarily from Companies House filings and published statistics.
Topics covered include company incorporation volumes and growth rates, winding-up petition trends, and the pace of digital adoption in statutory filings. Coverage expands as new datasets become available.
All articles are clearly sourced and include methodology notes where relevant.
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