Posted: 6 Jul 2022 Resource Type: Research Report Download Back Exports from UK professional services amounted to £39.1bn in 2020 and generated £25.5bn of trade surplus. This marked an increase of £3bn from 2019 – up from £22.5bn – despite the backdrop of a challenging year. Professional services continues to be a key contributor to the UK economy, exporting over 3 times the worth of professional services than it imported, and accounting for nearly one-fifth of the entire UK services trade surplus. Combined with financial services, UK financial and professional services generated a joint surplus of £89.2bn in 2020 – just over two-thirds of the entire UK services surplus. At the end of 2020, foreign direct investment (FDI) stock held in UK professional services was valued at £65.1bn – a 49% increase since 2017. Through sharing and developing our professional services expertise, the UK can continue to build and strengthen trade and investment links across the world. £25.5bn trade surplus in 2020 The UK’s success as an international financial and professional services centre depends on remaining open to trade and investment from around the world. Share: Share to LinkedIn LinkedIn Share to X Share to Facebook Facebook Share to WeChat WeChat Share to WhatsApp WhatsApp Share to Email Email Download Related content Research Report Transition Finance Council: Year-end progress report Mar 2026 - This report offers a snapshot of the Council’s first year: progress made, lessons learned, and the path ahead. Transition Finance Council: Year-end progress report Research Report Four policy briefs for scaling transition finance flows Mar 2026 - A suite of policy asks for government to address barriers to scaling transition finance Four policy briefs for scaling transition finance flows Thought Piece UK advantage: the best place to start (and scale) a business Mar 2026 - Mark Huxley, Chairman of the Financial Services Group of Livery Companies, tells us why the UK is the undisputed home of the entrepreneur in Europe UK advantage: the best place to start (and scale) a business Research Report Untapped digital talent: the £3bn opportunity Feb 2026 - With the current digital talent pipeline failing to keep pace with rising demand, there is an opportunity to embrace non-traditional forms of recruitment and access a previously overlooked pool of high-potential talent. Untapped digital talent: the £3bn opportunity