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 4.7% 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 341 government contracts valued at £167.2M.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, August 2026
A rapidly growing sector with 141% of active companies formed since 2020.
The specialised design activities sector has a <Link href="/glossary/company-dissolution">4.7% dissolution rate</Link>. The average active company in this sector is 7.4 years old. Geographic concentration: 26% in LONDON.
Companies in the specialised design activities sector have been awarded 341 government contracts worth £167.2M in total.
There are 30,888 active companies classified under SIC code 74100 (specialised design activities) in the UK, out of 33,907 total registered.
SIC code 74100 stands for "specialised design activities". It belongs to Section M — Professional, scientific and technical activities of the UK Standard Industrial Classification.
The largest concentrations are in LONDON (7,975), MANCHESTER (426), BRISTOL (425).
The average active specialised design activities company in the UK is 7.4 years old, with the oldest registration dating back to 1935.
Our database contains 179,588 data signals across 12 categories for active specialised design activities companies. The largest category is Governance with 93,832 signals from 6 government sources.
5.9M companies, 50M+ signals from 53 government sources. Risk scores, director networks, entity analysis.