UK Economy: Five Facts about Foreign-Owned Firms in Britain

London skyline — Just 1% of registered businesses in the UK were foreign owned in 2015 Reuters

The Office for National Statistics has analysed 2012 data on foreign-owned registered businesses in the UK Non-Financial Business Economy from the Annual Business Survey. Here are five of the most interesting findings from the research.

1. Just 1% of registered businesses in the UK were foreign owned in 2015, but these businesses contributed almost a third (29%) of UK value added.

2. The number of foreign-owned businesses decreased by 3% between 2009 and 2012, but their contribution to UK value added increased by 19%.

3. Less than half (42%) of foreign-owned businesses were micro-sized in 2012.

4. Only 4% of foreign-owned businesses were in construction compared with 13% of UK-owned businesses in 2012.

5. A quarter of foreign-owned businesses were owned from within the USA in 2012.