Sheet 1: Metadata

	
	
	
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		


		
UK BUSINESS: ACTIVITY, SIZE AND LOCATION - 2015
	
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		


		


	
	

		
Notes:
		
DATA SOURCES
		


	
	

		


		
The data contained in this analysis are produced from a snapshot of the Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR) taken on 13 March 2015. 
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
The main administrative sources for the IDBR are VAT trader and PAYE employer information passed to the ONS by HM Revenue & Customs under the Value Added Tax Act 1994 for VAT traders and the Finance Act 1969 for PAYE employers; details of incorporated businesses are also passed to ONS by Companies House. 
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
ONS have extended the coverage of businesses in this release to include a population of solely PAYE based businesses that were previously excluded because of a risk of duplication. In total 105,000 businesses have been added. Improvements in matching of administrative data and research into those units previously excluded has indicated that the risk of duplication is very small. The addition of these businesses brings the publication in line with Business Demography and  BIS Business Population Estimates, both of which include these businesses. A more detailed note can be found on the ONS website.
		
	

		


		
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/2015/stb-uk-business--activity--size-and-location--2015.html#tab-background-notes
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
STATISTICAL UNITS
		


	
	

		


		
A group of legal units under common ownership is called an Enterprise Group.
		
	

		


		
An Enterprise is the smallest combination of legal units (generally based on VAT and/or PAYE records) which has a certain degree of autonomy within an Enterprise Group.
		
	

		


		
An individual site (for example a factory or shop) in an enterprise is called a local unit.
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
CLASSIFICATIONS
		


	
	

		


		
This dataset uses the 2007 revision to the Standard Industrial Classification (UK SIC 2007) in place of the 2003 revision Standard Industrial Classification (UK SIC 2003). The UK SIC 2007 is a major revision of UK SIC 2003 with changes at all levels of the SIC. Further details on Standard Industrial Classification can be found on the ONS website:
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/classifications/current-standard-classifications/index.html 
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
EXCLUSIONS
		


	
	

		


		
Approximately 8,645 Composite and Managed Services Companies have been excluded where the address does not represent the location of the activities of these businesses to avoid giving a false impression of growth in these locations. Identification of Composite & Managed Services Companies may be incomplete, inflating business counts primarily in the Professional, Scientific & Technical sector. Further details on Composite and Managed Services Companies can be found on the HM Revenue & Customs website:
		
	

		


		
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employment-status/msc.htm
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
SUPPRESSION OF DATA
		


	
	

		


		
Statistical disclosure control methodology is applied to IDBR data. This ensures that information attributable to an individual or individual organisation is not identifiable in any published outputs. The Code of Practice for Official Statistics, and specifically the Principle on Confidentiality (P.C) set out practices for how ONS protects data from being disclosed. The P.C includes the statement that ONS outputs should “ensure that official statistics do not reveal the identity of an individual or organisation, or any private information relating to them, taking into account other relevant sources of information”. More information can be found in National Statistician’s Guidance: Confidentiality of Official Statistics and also on the statistical disclosure control methodology page of the ONS website.
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
Contacts
		


	
	

		


		
ONS welcomes any comments or feedback on this release.  Please provide any comments to the contacts named below:
		
	

		


		


		


	
	

		


		
Business Registers Strategy & Outputs
		


	
	

		


		
Government Buildings
		


	
	

		


		
Cardiff Road
		


	
	

		


		
Newport
		


	
	

		


		
NP10 8XG
		


	
	

		


		
Tel: +44 (0) 1633 456902
		


	
	

		


		
Email: IDBRDAS@ons.gsi.gov.uk