Biggest Industries by Employment in United Kingdom in 2026

• 1. Supermarkets in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 1,204,466

  ]The Supermarkets industry has undergone something of a shift over the past decade – discounters Aldi and Lidl have penetrated the customer base of the traditional “Big Four” supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons), with their low prices and improving quality of products resonating with price-conscious shoppers. Over the five years through 2025-26, supermarkets' revenue is expected to climb at a compound annual rate of 0.4% to £211.8 billion, with an anticipated hike of 0.5% in ...

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• 2. Charities in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 977,726

  Charities’ revenue is expected to rise at a compound annual rate of 5% over the five years through 2025-26 to £87.3 billion. Funding for charities isn't distributed evenly. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has provided some financial support for the industry, with £2.6 billion allocated from April 2022 to March 2025 and an additional £900 million offered for 2025-26. However, funding has favoured bigger charities, with many small or micro organisations struggling to win bids in a highly competit...

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• 3. Hospitals in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 895,737

  Over the five years to 2025-26, hospitals' revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 0.4% to £127.4 billion. Hospital services are currently being stretched to the limit as they struggle to navigate financial constraints and workforce shortages, while appointment waiting times remain high. Hospitals still face long elective backlogs, reaching 7.36 million in March 2025, according to NHS England. However, the growth in private hospitals is fuelling industry revenue as patients a...

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• 4. Temporary-Employment Placement Agencies in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 739,249

  The Temporary-Employment Placement Agencies industry revenue is forecast to inch upwards at a compound annual rate of 2% to £59.4 billion over the five years through 2025-26. The COVID-19 outbreak at the beginning of the previous five-year period meant key employers of temporary workers in sports and music event spaces completely shut their doors, and businesses froze hiring, reducing clients for agencies. Sign-ups for temporary employment declined, hitting revenue in 2020-21. Companies press...

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• 5. Business Process Outsourcing Services in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 722,238

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• 6. Direct Selling & Marketing in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 616,303

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• 7. Construction Contractors in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 582,430

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• 8. Full-Service Restaurants in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 551,647

  Over the five years through 2025-26, full-service restaurants’ revenue is expected to edge downwards at a compound annual rate of 6.4%. Restaurants face sustained pressure from rising labour, food and energy costs. Despite 2.7% annual employment growth, vacancies remain 48% above pre-pandemic levels, driving wage inflation and eroding profitability. Smaller venues have been the hardest hit, with companies adopting automation, flexible scheduling and well-being initiatives to attract and retai...

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• 9. General Secondary Education in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 551,380

  Revenue in the UK General Secondary Education industry is tied to government funding, and continued support over the past five years has ultimately driven revenue growth. The necessity of secondary education, with it being compulsory to ensure the UK has an educated and skilled population, protects the industry from funding cuts. Additionally, the level of funding is sensitive to pupil numbers, and rising secondary school pupil numbers have encouraged funding hikes. However, while revenue has...

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• 10. Primary Education in the UK

  Employment number for 2026: 546,457

  Schools are heavily reliant on funding, so government spending decisions shape the performance of primary schools. Tuition fees and donations that turn the lights on in independent schools are key to primary education revenue. The necessity of primary education protects it from large funding cuts since the UK economy relies on an educated and skilled population. Performance is sensitive to the number of children of primary school age, so a decade of slumping birth rates is catching up to the ...

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