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 Workplace financial wellbeing Jun 2026 - How employers can support their employees' financial resilience and prioritise financial well-being support that centres on education and is built around real-world scenarios. Workplace financial wellbeing Research Report Recruiting and retaining female digital talent Jun 2026 - A call for employers to take urgent action to address barriers women face in digital roles, or wanting to transition into them. Recruiting and retaining female digital talent Case Study Allica Bank | scaling Britain’s SME fintech challenger from London Jun 2026 - Clare Gambardella, Conrad Ford, Chief Product & Strategy Officer at Allica Bank, talks to us about why London remains such a powerful environment for scaling fintech businesses Allica Bank | scaling Britain’s SME fintech challenger from London 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