London, Kent and Sussex sees wave of COVID entrepreneurs, finds our research

London, Kent and Sussex has seen a wave of COVID entrepreneurs with 56% more businesses registered in 2020 than in 2019.

Our research is based on analysis of corporate databases that draw on information provided by Companies House in 2019 and 2020.

In Kent, 24,951 new businesses were incorporated at Companies House, an increase of 32% on 2019 when just 18,826 new businesses were registered.

In Sussex, 14,825 new businesses were incorporated at Companies House, an increase of 27% on 2019 when just 11,646 new businesses were registered.

In London, 199,949 new businesses were incorporated at Companies House, an increase of 62% on 2019 when 123,615 new businesses were registered.

Across the UK, 772,002 new businesses were incorporated at Companies House in 2020, an increase of 14%.

Commenting on the research,  Mark Attwood, Partner and member of the Growth team at Kreston Reeves said: “Times of crisis are often a source of inspiration for entrepreneurs as they look to capture an opportunity, and that is true of 2020. The South East has seen a wave of COVID entrepreneurs, far outstripping business start-ups across the rest of the UK.

“It should, of course, be noted that many of these new incorporations will be subsidiaries of existing businesses looking to expand their offerings, but we believe that the majority of them will be new businesses. Some will remain small, operating from home, but others will grow and help build our post-COVID economy.

“Government support has focused to date on supporting existing businesses that have been impacted by the global pandemic, and that is as it should be. But government should also look to measures to support this new wave of entrepreneurialism to help them grow and become the engines of tomorrow’s economy.”

There is a wealth of freely available advice and guidance on successfully growing a business. In addition to www.krestonreeves.com, businesses may also wish to explore www.locateinkent.com, www.coast2capital.org.uk in Sussex, and www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline.