Business Services – a resilient sector that helps keep the UK investable
Among the many insights in our recent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) report was that Business Services performed impressively in what was otherwise a slower year for attracting overseas capital.
According to the Department of Business & Trade, Professional & Business Services recorded 73 new FDI projects in 2024/25, a 20% year‑on‑year increase. That’s a clear signal that investors continue to back the UK, but what’s driving this trend—and why does it matter?
Many investors are naturally drawn to sectors that outperform the wider economy, but the story with Business Services goes deeper than that. It’s a sector that has repeatedly demonstrated resilience, adapting to shifting economic conditions, regulatory change, global uncertainty and competitive pressures. Time and again, it finds a way through.
This resilience has been especially notable given the broader geopolitical instability of recent year - from tensions between major powers to supply‑chain fragmentation and a shifting global economic order. Despite these pressures, the UK’s Business Services sector has remained a source of stability for investors, continuing to provide the capability, expertise and confidence needed to navigate uncertainty.
Part of this comes down to mindset. Business Services is broad, but its sub‑sectors are united by a distinctive, practical outlook. Collectively, the industry is driven by a belief that “there must be a way” and a willingness to take a hands‑on, sleeves‑rolled‑up approach to solving problems. Investors notice that attitude, and they value it.
Of course, resilience alone doesn’t explain the sector’s continued success. The UK offers the combination of skills, reputation, market demand and institutional depth that global investors look for. But without the tenacity to keep pushing, innovating and finding solutions, especially when conditions are challenging, growth simply wouldn’t happen.
Government policy has recognised this. Under the Modern Industrial Strategy, Professional & Business Services is listed as one of eight priority, high‑productivity sectors, alongside advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, defence, digital & technologies, financial services and life sciences. That designation reflects both the sector’s economic significance and its enabling role.
That role is crucial because Business Services not only attracts investment, it also helps other investments land, launch and scale.
In practice, this means aligning company formation and tax with recruitment and visas, navigating contracts, data and regulatory requirements, and coordinating the practicalities of property, logistics and IT. The right advisory teams help companies save time, reduce uncertainty and make smarter decisions about cost and workflow.
And this is a national story, not a London‑only one. Our Attractiveness Index with Cebr shows Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds all scoring strongly on investor appeal, each supported by a robust local economy and a services ecosystem capable of underpinning new projects.
The bottom line? There is no single explanation for the UK’s FDI performance. But without doubt, Business Services plays a decisive part as it attracts investment, supports delivery, keeps projects on track and builds confidence. That, in turn, strengthens capability and reinforces the sector’s resilience.
It is one of several reasons the UK remains an investable, competitive economy.
