The UK is a global centre for professional services as well as a global financial centre – and the two are closely connected. Having access to high-quality and specialised legal activities, management consulting and accounting services is crucial for business success.
The UK is the largest exporter of professional services in Europe. It exported nearly twice the value of professional services than the next largest market, Germany, in 2020 – demonstrating the UK’s strong reputation for delivering high quality professional services.
UK professional services exports have also seen consistent year on year growth for the past ten years. More than doubling the value of exports in the last decade and demonstrating the sector’s resilience in 2020 against the impact of the pandemic.
Professional services are also a significant driver of the UK economy, contributing £79bn to the UK’s economy in 2019.
This factsheet illustrates the quality and scale of professional services in the UK.