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Companies in Birmingham

Birmingham is the 3rd biggest place on the UK company register, with 98,893 live companies, or 1.7% of the UK total. 15,335 of those were formed in 2025. 9,143 (9.2%) have a proposal to strike off on file, above the UK figure of 7.3%. Compared with the UK as a whole, Birmingham stands out for renting and operating of housing association real estate: 837 companies, 6.1 times the national share.

What Birmingham has more of than the rest of the UK

Each trade's share of Birmingham companies, compared with its share across the UK.

  • Renting and operating of Housing Association real estate (837 companies)6.1×
  • Manufacture of motor vehicles (68 companies)3.2×
  • Wholesale of meat and meat products (159 companies)3.1×
  • Other accommodation (615 companies)2.9×
  • Retail sale of meat and meat products in specialised stores (171 companies)2.6×

Biggest trades in Birmingham

Live Birmingham companies, by year formed

Only companies still live are counted, so older years look smaller. 2026 stops on 1 November 2026.

20122026
See every year as a table
YearLive companies
20121,577
20131,774
20142,156
20152,640
20163,013
20173,556
20184,206
20195,179
20204,996
20215,110
20225,646
20237,320
20249,342
202515,335
202614,337

Oldest active companies in Birmingham

  1. Phoenix Life AssuranceFormed 1864
  2. Birmingham Law SocietyFormed 1870
  3. Val De Travers AsphalteFormed 1871
  4. Public Picture Gallery Fund BirminghamFormed 1871
  5. Edgbaston High School for GirlsFormed 1876

Funny company names registered in Birmingham

Nearest in size

Town means the post town of the registered address, which isn't always where a company trades. Many companies use an accountant's or formation agent's address. Figures come from Companies House on 1 November 2026.

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