specialised design activities Companies in the UK

SIC 74100Professional, scientific and technical activities|141% formed since 2020|Data updated 6 Jun 2026
30,888
Active

30,888 active companies in the UK are classified under specialised design activities (SIC code 74100). This sector falls under Section M — Professional, scientific and technical activities — of the UK Standard Industrial Classification. The sector has a relatively low 0.1% dissolution rate — 30,888 of 33,907 registrations remain active. The sector is experiencing rapid growth, with 141% of active businesses incorporated since 2020 — indicating strong recent demand. 98% of companies were formed after 2010, marking this as a sector with predominantly recent entrants. The average company age in this sector is 7.4 years. London leads with 26% of companies in this sector. Companies in this sector hold 371 government contracts valued at £175.4M.

Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, June 2026

30,888
Active Companies
M
SIC Section
1935
Oldest Company
141%
Growth (2020s)
7.4 yr
Avg Company Age

A rapidly growing sector with 141% of active companies formed since 2020.

Incorporation by Decade
8%
37%
52%
Pre-1990: 215
1990s: 607
2000s: 2,765
2010s: 12,581
2020s: 17,739

Data Signals

Governance
96,5766 src
Financial
52,31111 src
Compliance
19,74113 src
Risk
5,64410 src
Trade
3,1342 src
innovation
4982 src
growth
4302 src
quality
1533 src
ESG
1536 src
operational
181 src
corporate_structure
61 src
regulatory
31 src

Sector Overview

The specialised design activities sector has a <Link href="/glossary/company-dissolution">0.1% dissolution rate</Link>. The average active company in this sector is 7.4 years old. Geographic concentration: 26% in LONDON.

0.1%
Dissolution rate
7.4 yrs
Avg company age

Company Size Breakdown

Small: 83 (62%)Medium: 10 (7%)Large: 41 (31%)

Government Activity

Companies in the specialised design activities sector have been awarded 371 government contracts worth £175.4M in total.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many specialised design activities companies are there in the UK?

There are 30,888 active companies classified under SIC code 74100 (specialised design activities) in the UK, out of 33,907 total registered.

What is SIC code 74100?

SIC code 74100 stands for "specialised design activities". It belongs to Section M — Professional, scientific and technical activities of the UK Standard Industrial Classification.

Where are most specialised design activities companies located?

The largest concentrations are in LONDON (7,975), MANCHESTER (426), BRISTOL (425).

What is the average age of specialised design activities companies?

The average active specialised design activities company in the UK is 7.4 years old, with the oldest registration dating back to 1935.

What government data is available for specialised design activities companies?

Our database contains 178,667 data signals across 12 categories for active specialised design activities companies. The largest category is Governance with 96,576 signals from 6 government sources.

Research UK Companies with AI

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Data is updated daily from official UK government sources including Companies House. Information is provided for reference only.