Emptera

Business succession index · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Business succession in Northern Ireland

Of 50,493 active companies in Northern Ireland, 21.3% have a youngest owner aged 60 or over (United Kingdom: 20.8%).

50,493
Active companies
21.3%
Youngest owner 60+
20.8%
United Kingdom average
37
Industries
IndustryCompaniesOwner 60+%
Membership organisations4417636.9%
Office administrative and support1,28632931.4%
Accommodation54914030.2%
Machinery and equipment n.e.c.2606929.4%
Real estate activities6,0781,49728.5%
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning67912728.1%
Food products48211727.9%
Social work4117927.8%
Construction of buildings3,68891527.5%
Auxiliary financial services2826926.3%
Head offices and management consultancy1,96947725.9%
Other manufacturing42710125.8%
Financial services1,98743624.9%
Fabricated metal products4569923.4%
Wholesale trade2,42552423.3%
Other professional and technical activities1,32227022.5%
Legal and accounting activities86418622.4%
Crop and animal production1,34027522.2%
Repair and installation of machinery60112020.7%
Land transport1,04519219.5%
Architecture and engineering1,13121319.5%
Rental and leasing4287719.5%
Other personal service activities1,85731219%
Services to buildings and landscape4778418.6%
Civil engineering60710318.5%
Wholesale and retail trade of motor vehicles1,56627318.1%
Retail trade4,14170618%
Education90311518%
Human health activities1,84028216.8%
Sports and recreation1,23316116.2%
Creative, arts and entertainment5016215.8%
Specialised construction activities3,71450514.1%
Food and beverage service2,48932713.9%
Computer programming and consultancy1,78623113.8%
Employment activities2923212%
Advertising and market research2512811.6%
Motion picture and sound production6857211.2%

By trade in Northern Ireland

TradeCompanies%
Landlords and property letting3,18629.6%
Property trading2,06726.7%
Management consultancy1,96925.9%
Building contractors1,89525.2%
Property developers1,79330.1%
Restaurants and takeaways1,77410.7%
Wellness and other personal services1,16624.3%
Livestock farming1,14721.3%
Business support services1,14032.6%
IT consultancy and support1,12114.8%
Online and mail-order retail1,1079.1%
Gyms, sports clubs and facilities90112.4%
Road haulage82418.9%
Bricklaying, scaffolding and specialist trades81316.2%
Supermarkets and convenience stores78820.3%
Other professional services78625.3%
Electricians78511.4%
Car and van dealers77817.3%
Physiotherapy and other health services77820%
Wholesale agents and brokers75522.6%
Engineering consultancy74318%
Film, TV, radio and music production73512.6%
Training providers and tutoring70417.4%
Power generation and supply67928.1%
Software development66512%
GP and specialist medical practices66214.2%
Civil engineering contractors60718.5%
Accountants and bookkeepers60122.7%
Machinery repair and installation60120.7%
Hairdressers and beauty salons5896.9%
Property management57033.3%
Performing arts50115.8%
Plumbing and heating engineers49612.7%
Garages and vehicle repair45015.8%
Metal fabrication43824%
Home care and social care41127.8%
Pubs and bars40422.9%
Jewellery, toys and other manufacturing39325.6%
Plastering and building finishing39315.2%
Lenders and financial services37926.7%
Butchers, greengrocers and food shops34318.3%
Equipment and plant hire33418.6%
Architects33323.4%
Food and drink wholesalers33224.7%
Amusement and leisure33227.1%
Household goods and clothing wholesalers32925%
Joiners and carpenters3249.4%
Opticians, galleries and other specialist shops32127.3%
Insulation and other building installation31211.9%
Event caterers and contract catering31120.9%
Holiday lets, hostels and campsites30526.4%
Machinery and equipment wholesalers30223.3%
Vehicle parts suppliers30122.7%
Fuel, metals and building materials wholesalers29724.5%
Recruitment agencies29212%
Clothing and shoe shops28925.2%
Food manufacturing27529.8%
Dental practices27315.1%
Design studios26611%
Law firms26321.7%
Machinery manufacturing26029.4%
Estate agents25519.8%
Cleaning companies25115.4%
Advertising, PR and marketing agencies25111.6%

Methodology

Share of ACTIVE, non-dormant companies that filed accounts within three years and whose YOUNGEST person with significant control is aged 60 or over. Percentages are of companies where an owner age is on file, not of all companies. Regions are assigned from the registered-office postcode area, which is not always where a company trades; areas that cross a regional border count towards the region most of them lies in.

Per region, only industries with at least 250 companies are shown. Source: Companies House free company data + PSC snapshot (snapshot 2026-09-01), licensed under OGL v3.0.

Aggregates only — no individual company is ever shown publicly with a succession indicator.

Business succession in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom — by industry