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Doing business in the UK

Practical resources for business and international trade with the UK. Find business guides and trade data, check the economic and political outlook, and get help with company research.

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Origami downward arrow made from a financial chart against a teal background, symbolising declining performance or economic downturn.

UK Business Confidence Monitor: National

  • Report
  • 02 Jul 2026
The latest national Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) shows that the Iran War significantly dented confidence as it dropped to a near four-year low and suffered its sixth successive negative quarterly score. Companies reported rising costs pressures, weaker expected sales and profits growth for the coming year, while late payment concerns hit a five-year high.
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Exporting goods and services

Look up tariffs, taxes and rules to trade with the UK
  • Website
  • HM Government
Tool allowing users to check UK regulations, duty and VAT, duty relief available, import licences, and UK commodity codes by country and by product.
Trade with the UK as a business based in the EU
  • Website
  • HM Government
Links to guidance for companies about importing from the UK, exporting to the UK, paying taxes and tariffs, providing services to the UK, working in the UK, and data protection.
Trade sanctions, arms embargoes, and other trade restrictions
  • Website
  • GOV.UK

Information on trade sanctions, arms embargoes and trade restrictions currently imposed by the UK, including trade controls and transit controls.

Business guides

Doing Business in the United Kingdom
  • Website
  • Apr 2024
  • UHY
Detailed guide providing information on business environment, foreign investment, setting up a business, labour, taxation, accounting and reporting.
Country Guide: United Kingdom
  • Website
  • Aug 2024
  • Lex Mundi
Overview of the legal and business environment prepared by local Lex Mundi member law firm. Detailed sections cover business regulations, employment law, tax, and other issues.

Company financials and research

The ICAEW Library & Information Service subscribes to a range of national, regional, and global databases and can provide ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users with individual company reports for public and private companies across the world.

Economic and political outlook

Trade data

United Kingdom: Economic indicators
  • Website
  • Trading Economics
Information, including historical data, for a range of economic indicators, exchange rates, stock market indexes, government bond yields and commodity prices. Data is based on official sources, and facts are regularly checked for inconsistencies.
EU trade statistics
  • Website
  • European Commission
Statistics database providing an overview of trade flows in goods between EU and non-EU countries, for specific products.
UN Comtrade Database
  • Website
  • United Nations
Global database offering detailed annual and monthly trade statistics for goods and services by product and trading partner.

Chambers of commerce and business networks

See also

We also maintain separate pages on doing business in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
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Information

Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.