The UK small-business market is huge, but most firms are still small enough for website quality to be a genuine competitive edge.
Updated 20 June 2026
UK small-business website statistics
A sourced reference page for UK small-business website ownership, online buying, reviews and AI discovery. Built for journalists, bloggers and business owners who need quotable numbers without hunting through reports.
11 sourced stats
Government, ONS, Ofcom, Lloyds Banking Group and local consumer research, with a source and date beside every number.
Key takeaways
A website is not optional for many buyers. Reviews, search and online research now push people back to the business's own site before they enquire.
AI tools are becoming another discovery layer, so clear service pages, useful answers and trustworthy source signals matter more than ever.
The statistics
5.64m
UK small businesses
There were 5.64 million small businesses in the UK private sector at the start of 2025, covering businesses with 0 to 49 employees.
Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates 2025, 2 October 202599.18%
of UK businesses are small
Small businesses made up 99.18% of the UK private sector business population at the start of 2025.
Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates 2025, 2 October 202560%
of private sector employment
SMEs accounted for 60% of UK private sector employment and 51% of private sector turnover at the start of 2025.
Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates 2025, 2 October 202568%
of UK businesses have a website
In the UK Business Data Survey 2024, 68% of UK businesses said they had a website.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Business Data Survey 2024, 27 June 202493%
of small firms have a website
Website ownership was much higher among small businesses than sole traders: 93% of small businesses had a website, compared with 65% of sole traders.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Business Data Survey 2024, 27 June 202428.8%
of retail sales were online
Online sales accounted for 28.8% of total retail sales in Great Britain in May 2026, up from 28.1% in April.
Office for National Statistics, Retail sales, Great Britain: May 2026, 19 June 202654%
of UK adults use AI tools
Ofcom reported that 54% of UK adults now use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini.
Ofcom, UK adults' media and online lives research, 2 April 20261.8bn
UK ChatGPT visits
ChatGPT recorded 1.8 billion UK visits in the first eight months of 2025, up from 368 million in the same period of 2024.
Ofcom, From apps to AI search: how the UK goes online in 2025, 10 December 202554%
check the business website after reviews
After reading positive reviews, 54% of consumers said they then check the business's website.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, 202680%
prefer businesses that answer reviews
BrightLocal found that 80% of consumers are likely to use a business that responds to all of its reviews.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, 20261 in 3
use AI weekly for money matters
Lloyds Banking Group reported that one in three people use AI once a week or more to help with money matters.
Lloyds Banking Group, Consumer Digital Index 2025 press release, 3 November 2025Methodology and sources
This page uses the latest publicly available figures from official UK sources where possible, then adds reputable consumer research where government data does not cover buyer behaviour. Each statistic includes its named source and publication date.
Suggested citation: 118 118 Sites, "UK Small Business Website Statistics", updated 20 June 2026, https://118118sites.com/uk-small-business-website-statistics.