Data · Companies House
UK company cash position, from real filings
In a random sample of companies that filed accounts at Companies House in June and July 2026, 37.1% of the trading companies we could check were in net current liabilities, and about 4 in 10 (41.2%) of those with non-micro accounts and usable cash and debtors figures had negative net cash. Only companies whose balance sheets add up are used, and every figure carries its count and a 95% range.
The two questions people ask first
- What percentage of UK companies have negative net cash?
41.2% of 2,980 checked trading companies with non-micro accounts and usable cash and debtors. - How much cash does the typical UK company hold?
A median of £13,654 at the balance sheet date, from 3,275 checked companies with non-micro accounts and usable cash.
The figures
| Measure | Sample figure | 95% range | Companies in this figure | Which companies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In net current liabilities (current assets less creditors due within a year, below zero) | 37.1% | 36.1% to 38.2% | 7,481 | all checked trading companies |
| With negative net cash (cash plus debtors, less creditors due within a year, below zero) | 41.2% | 39.4% to 43.0% | 2,980 | non-micro accounts with usable cash and debtors |
| Holding less cash than the creditors due within a year | 63.7% | 62.0% to 65.3% | 3,275 | non-micro accounts with usable cash |
| Median cash as a share of creditors due within a year | 45% | 39% to 50% | 3,165 | non-micro accounts with usable cash, creditors above zero |
| With £1,000 or less in the bank at the balance sheet date | 19.5% | 18.1% to 20.8% | 3,275 | non-micro accounts with usable cash |
| Median cash at the balance sheet date | £13,654 | £12,247 to £15,084 | 3,275 | non-micro accounts with usable cash |
Net current liabilities, by sector
Every sector with at least 150 checked trading companies. Each range describes one sector on its own. Comparing two sectors needs a test of the difference, which we have not run, so read the order as descriptive. The ranges for real estate and hospitality each sit above the ranges of all twelve other sectors.
| Sector | In net current liabilities (95% range) | Companies in this figure |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate | 59.1% 55.9% to 62.2% | 941 |
| Accommodation and food service (hospitality) | 54.6% 49.6% to 59.6% | 379 |
| Transport and logistics | 42.0% 35.5% to 48.8% | 207 |
| Other service activities | 38.7% 33.7% to 44.1% | 333 |
| Retail, wholesale and motor trade | 38.2% 35.1% to 41.4% | 927 |
| Manufacturing | 37.6% 32.3% to 43.3% | 295 |
| Education | 37.3% 30.4% to 44.9% | 166 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 36.7% 30.1% to 43.8% | 188 |
| Administrative and support services | 33.7% 29.9% to 37.8% | 549 |
| Information and communication | 32.9% 29.3% to 36.7% | 611 |
| Financial services | 32.6% 26.9% to 38.9% | 233 |
| Health and social care | 31.4% 26.8% to 36.5% | 353 |
| Construction | 30.4% 27.5% to 33.5% | 891 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 25.3% 22.8% to 28.1% | 1,046 |
Before you quote any of it
Read the method and caveats first: the check every company passes, who is left out and which way that leans, and what the figures cannot say.
Where these numbers come from. A random sample of 10,000 sets of accounts filed at Companies House in June and July 2026, from the free monthly accounts bulk product. We use only trading companies whose balance sheets add up: current assets less creditors due within a year equals the net current assets they filed. Cash figures come only from non-micro accounts, because micro-entity accounts have no cash line. Every figure carries its own count and a 95% range for sampling error.
These are balance-sheet measures. Most small-company accounts carry no profit and loss, so nothing here estimates cover over time. Every claim is cash against what is owed, at each company's balance sheet date. Full method, checks and caveats.
14 days free · no card · read-only.