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 Case Study Zopa | scaling a digital bank in the UK’s fintech ecosystem May 2026 - Clare Gambardella, Chief Customer Officer at Zopa Bank, tells us about how the UK’s talent, regulatory environment and collaborative ecosystem have supported its evolution from fintech innovator to fully licensed digital bank. Zopa | scaling a digital bank in the UK’s fintech ecosystem Research Report The UK | a top destination for financial and professional services investment May 2026 - The UK continues to be Europe's most popular destination for foreign direct investment in financial and professional services The UK | a top destination for financial and professional services investment Thought Piece When regulation enables innovation May 2026 - A decade on from the FCA’s world-first Regulatory Sandbox, the impact is clear. Chris Hayward looks at the impact of the Regulatory Sandbox When regulation enables innovation Research Report The City of London Corporation’s US Office Apr 2026 - The City of London Corporation’s US Office works to strengthen engagement between the UK and the United States across financial and professional services. The City of London Corporation’s US Office