381 active companies are registered in Greater Manchester with Companies House. Out of 1,078 companies ever registered here, 387 are no longer active — a 35% survival rate. Business formation remains steady, with 41.2% of current companies established since 2020. Over half (78%) of active companies were formed since 2020, making this one of the UK's fastest-growing business locations. The most common industry sector is retail sale via mail order houses or via internet, with 29 companies. Companies here hold 12 government contracts worth £0.7M in total. The average company age is 14.7 years. The earliest company registration in Greater Manchester dates back to 1869.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, October 2026
An established business centre with companies averaging 14.7 years of operation.
The average active company in Greater Manchester is 14.7 years old. There are 8 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 10 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Greater Manchester have been awarded 12 government contracts with a combined value of £0.7M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 381 active companies registered in Greater Manchester, out of 1,078 total. 387 (36%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Greater Manchester include Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet (29 companies), Other business support service activities n.e.c. (23 companies), Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (15 companies).
41.2% of currently active companies in Greater Manchester were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 4,150 data signals across 11 categories for active companies in Greater Manchester. The largest category is Governance with 1,679 signals from 5 sources.
The oldest company registration in Greater Manchester dates back to 1869, spanning over 157 years of business history.