Company Formations in 2023: Kent

???? Businesses formed in Kent during 2023

2.8% more companies in Kent compared to 2022

New businesses in Kent mapped

Boroughs

AAshford: 1,251
BCanterbury: 1,295
CDartford: 1,628
DDover: 789
EGravesham: 1,401
FMaidstone: 1,625
GMedway: 2,958
HSevenoaks: 1,303
IShepway: 864
JSwale: 997
KThanet: 1,276
LTonbridge and Malling: 1,192
MTunbridge Wells: 1,007

Companies formed in 2023 league table

The counties in England where most companies are formed, and how Kent compares.

Rank

County

No. Companies formed

Rank	County	No. Companies formed
1st 2022: 1st	London	313,446
2nd 2022: 2nd	West Midlands	44,594
3rd 2022: 3rd	Greater Manchester	41,222
4th 2022: 4th	West Yorkshire	24,534
5th 2022: 5th	Essex	20,333
6th 2022: 6th	Kent	17,620

Rank

County

No. Companies formed

Rank	County	No. Companies formed
1st 2022: 1st	London	313,446
5th 2022: 5th	Essex	20,333
6th 2022: 6th	Kent	17,620
11th 2022: 12th	Surrey	12,018
27th 2022: 26th	East Sussex	7,311
31st 2022: 32nd	West Sussex	6,678

Rank

County

No. Companies formed

Rank	County	No. Companies formed
1st 2022: 1st	London	313,446
2nd 2022: 2nd	West Midlands	44,594
3rd 2022: 3rd	Greater Manchester	41,222
4th 2022: 4th	West Yorkshire	24,534
5th 2022: 5th	Essex	20,333
6th 2022: 6th	Kent	17,620
7th 2022: 7th	Hampshire	15,385
8th 2022: 8th	Hertfordshire	14,512
9th 2022: 9th	Merseyside	14,307
10th 2022: 10th	Lancashire	14,223
11th 2022: 12th	Surrey	12,018
12th 2022: 11th	South Yorkshire	11,638
13th 2022: 13th	Leicestershire	11,417
14th 2022: 14th	Berkshire	10,571
15th 2022: 15th	Cheshire	9,952
16th 2022: 17th	Buckinghamshire	9,591
17th 2022: 16th	Nottinghamshire	9,559
18th 2022: 20th	North Yorkshire	9,266
19th 2022: 18th	Bedfordshire	9,025
20th 2022: 30th	Suffolk	8,934
21st 2022: 21st	Staffordshire	8,878
22nd 2022: 25th	Cambridgeshire	8,677
23rd 2022: 19th	Dorset	8,565
24th 2022: 22nd	Tyne and Wear	8,274
25th 2022: 23rd	Northamptonshire	8,191
26th 2022: 24th	Derbyshire	7,528
27th 2022: 26th	East Sussex	7,311
28th 2022: 29th	Devon	7,183
29th 2022: 28th	Lincolnshire	7,141
30th 2022: 31st	Gloucestershire	6,902
31st 2022: 32nd	West Sussex	6,678
32nd 2022: 27th	Somerset	6,531
33rd 2022: 34th	Norfolk	5,723
34th 2022: 35th	Durham	5,696
35th 2022: 38th	Oxfordshire	5,446
36th 2022: 33rd	Warwickshire	5,157
37th 2022: 36th	Bristol	5,050
38th 2022: 39th	Wiltshire	4,965
39th 2022: 37th	Worcestershire	4,808
40th 2022: 40th	East Riding of Yorkshire	4,211
41st 2022: 41st	Shropshire	3,480
42nd 2022: 43rd	Cornwall	3,074
43rd 2022: 44th	Cumbria	2,686
44th 2022: 42nd	Herefordshire	2,540
45th 2022: 45th	Northumberland	1,554
46th 2022: 46th	Isle of Wight	757
47th 2022: 47th	Rutland	232

New incorporations in 2023 per 1000 people

In Kent

10.2

National Average

14.2

Type of companies formed in Kent breakdown

97% Private Limited Companies (17,014 companies)

3% Other company types (606 companies)

Public Limited Company 1.3% (8 companies)
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) 16.7% (101 companies)
Company Limited by Guarantee 51.8% (314 companies)
Limited Partnership 0.2% (1 company)
Community Interest Company 23.9% (145 companies)
Other 6.1% (37 companies)

Other company types breakdown (606 companies)

Total companies in Kent by the end of 2023

????

Businesses formed in Kent during 2023

????

Businesses dissolved in Kent during 2023

meaning there is a total of

133,898

businesses registered in Kent at the end of 2023.

2.8% more companies in Kent compared to 2022

Surrounding counties 2023 breakdown & comparison

East Sussex

71,059 total businesses
7,311 formed in 2023
6,762 dissolved in 2023

Essex

153,732 total businesses
20,333 formed in 2023
16,314 dissolved in 2023

West Sussex

59,896 total businesses
6,678 formed in 2023
5,586 dissolved in 2023

Surrey

109,469 total businesses
12,018 formed in 2023
10,260 dissolved in 2023

London

1,534,936 total businesses
313,446 formed in 2023
213,520 dissolved in 2023

Kent

133,898 total businesses
17,620 formed in 2023
14,559 dissolved in 2023

Ward breakdown data for

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Aylesford Green	19	26	7
Beaver	35	37	2
Biddenden	22	17	-5
Bockhanger	8	10	2
Boughton Aluph and Eastwell	71	90	19
Bybrook	10	14	4
Charing	85	121	36
Downs North	16	14	-2
Downs West	25	19	-6
Godinton	51	83	32
Great Chart with Singleton North	15	21	6
Highfield	13	23	10
Isle of Oxney	16	16	0
Kennington	10	27	17
Little Burton Farm	11	21	10
Norman	32	38	6
North Willesborough	29	37	8
Park Farm North	20	26	6
Park Farm South	15	24	9
Rolvenden and Tenterden West	15	16	1
Saxon Shore	40	46	6
Singleton South	13	9	-4
South Willesborough	18	33	15
St Michaels	16	13	-3
Stanhope	19	26	7
Stour	104	100	-4
Tenterden North	16	18	2
Tenterden South	14	9	-5
Victoria	143	129	-14
Washford	12	24	12
Weald Central	55	53	-2
Weald East	27	43	16
Weald North	20	27	7
Weald South	21	26	5
Wye	17	15	-2

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Barton	163	204	41
Beltinge	41	55	14
Blean Forest	48	40	-8
Chartham & Stone Street	33	53	20
Chestfield	59	69	10
Gorrell	96	92	-4
Greenhill	9	10	1
Herne & Broomfield	49	65	16
Heron	113	131	18
Little Stour & Adisham	18	18	0
Nailbourne	20	24	4
Northgate	45	76	31
Reculver	16	23	7
Seasalter	29	32	3
St Stephen's	43	58	15
Sturry	42	56	14
Swalecliffe	14	8	-6
Tankerton	16	12	-4
West Bay	27	36	9
Westgate	172	132	-40
Wincheap	78	101	23

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Bean and Darenth	29	46	17
Brent	55	89	34
Castle	129	132	3
Cray Meadows		0	0
Greenhithe	77	79	2
Hartley and Hodsoll Street	28	33	5
Heath	63	114	51
Joyce Green	66	116	50
Joydens Wood	59	66	7
Littlebrook	48	55	7
Longfield New Barn and Southfleet	44	81	37
Newtown	119	136	17
Princes	56	64	8
Stone	115	103	-12
Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley	16	30	14
Swanscombe	64	102	38
Town	235	211	-24
West Hill	122	194	72
Wilmington	45	152	107

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Aylesham	30	37	7
Buckland	8	12	4
Capel-le-Ferne	7	9	2
Castle	129	132	3
Eastry	34	42	8
Eythorne and Shepherdswell	14	26	12
Little Stour and Ashstone	20	30	10
Lydden and Temple Ewell	13	22	9
Maxton Elms Vale and Priory	34	41	7
Middle Deal and Sholden	24	34	10
Mill Hill	21	18	-3
North Deal	61	69	8
Ringwould	8	5	-3
River	277	332	55
Sandwich	111	63	-48
St Margaret's-at-Cliffe	18	38	20
St Radigunds	101	141	40
Tower Hamlets	50	52	2
Town and Pier	4	25	21
Walmer	28	43	15
Whitfield	10	22	12

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Central	153	208	55
Chalk	8	14	6
Coldharbour	32	54	22
Higham	41	40	-1
Istead Rise	15	22	7
Meopham North	37	65	28
Meopham South and Vigo	26	40	14
Northfleet North	85	134	49
Northfleet South	106	134	28
Painters Ash	32	43	11
Pelham	121	177	56
Riverside	135	177	42
Riverview	27	34	7
Shorne Cobham and Luddesdown	25	31	6
Singlewell	63	88	25
Westcourt	38	49	11
Whitehill	35	35	0
Woodlands	63	74	11

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Allington	39	57	18
Barming	22	17	-5
Bearsted	31	45	14
Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton	18	27	9
Boxley	63	78	15
Bridge	69	64	-5
Coxheath and Hunton	57	55	-2
Detling and Thurnham	15	22	7
Downswood and Otham	9	12	3
East	70	69	-1
Fant	68	106	38
Harrietsham and Lenham	25	34	9
Headcorn	41	33	-8
Heath	63	114	51
High Street	616	417	-199
Leeds	10	17	7
Loose	9	13	4
Marden and Yalding	66	74	8
North	64	67	3
North Downs	31	22	-9
Park Wood	37	68	31
Shepway North	42	85	43
Shepway South	26	45	19
South	70	98	28
Staplehurst	25	35	10
Sutton Valence and Langley	9	19	10

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Chatham Central	135	202	67
Cuxton and Halling	42	27	-15
Gillingham North	185	364	179
Gillingham South	148	191	43
Hempstead and Wigmore	32	40	8
Lordswood and Capstone	63	84	21
Luton and Wayfield	151	164	13
Peninsula	73	78	5
Princes Park	55	78	23
Rainham Central	72	117	45
Rainham North	86	106	20
Rainham South	46	67	21
River	277	332	55
Rochester East	75	77	2
Rochester South and Horsted	189	155	-34
Rochester West	107	150	43
Strood North	113	147	34
Strood Rural	164	223	59
Strood South	109	169	60
Twydall	48	57	9
Walderslade	35	77	42
Watling	154	101	-53

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Ash and New Ash Green	36	36	0
Brasted Chevening and Sundridge	38	74	36
Cowden and Hever	13	18	5
Crockenhill and Well Hill	13	17	4
Dunton Green and Riverhead	44	57	13
Edenbridge North and East	60	65	5
Edenbridge South and West	36	41	5
Eynsford	12	8	-4
Farningham Horton Kirby and South Darenth	35	40	5
Fawkham and West Kingsdown	84	92	8
Halstead Knockholt and Badgers Mount	22	41	19
Hartley and Hodsoll Street	28	33	5
Hextable	18	32	14
Kemsing	64	74	10
Leigh and Chiddingstone Causeway	13	11	-2
Otford and Shoreham	31	40	9
Penshurst Fordcombe and Chiddingstone	12	18	6
Seal and Weald	50	55	5
Sevenoaks Eastern	31	34	3
Sevenoaks Kippington	20	25	5
Sevenoaks Northern	11	29	18
Sevenoaks Town and St John's	100	141	41
Swanley Christchurch and Swanley Village	86	119	33
Swanley St Mary's	19	30	11
Swanley White Oak	40	64	24
Westerham and Crockham Hill	103	109	6

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Broadmead	12	14	2
Cheriton	87	84	-3
East Folkestone	67	72	5
Folkestone Central	139	155	16
Folkestone Harbour	36	41	5
Hythe	52	68	16
Hythe Rural	27	38	11
New Romney	42	52	10
North Downs East	61	56	-5
North Downs West	45	45	0
Romney Marsh	18	44	26
Sandgate & West Folkestone	182	150	-32
Walland & Denge Marsh	32	45	13

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Abbey	39	72	33
Bobbing Iwade and Lower Halstow	21	27	6
Borden and Grove Park	20	41	21
Boughton and Courtenay	47	41	-6
Chalkwell	24	42	18
East Downs	17	19	2
Hartlip Newington and Upchurch	48	42	-6
Homewood	69	75	6
Kemsley	30	47	17
Milton Regis	29	41	12
Minster Cliffs	27	41	14
Murston	54	75	21
Priory	10	11	1
Queenborough and Halfway	21	28	7
Roman	21	34	13
Sheerness	68	91	23
Sheppey Central	40	44	4
Sheppey East	29	35	6
St Ann's	16	32	16
Teynham and Lynsted	20	23	3
The Meads	59	57	-2
Watling	154	101	-53
West Downs	15	25	10
Woodstock	21	24	3

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Beacon Road	20	28	8
Birchington North	23	13	-10
Birchington South	19	37	18
Bradstowe	53	59	6
Central Harbour	60	64	4
Cliffsend and Pegwell	23	31	8
Cliftonville East	22	47	25
Cliftonville West	111	177	66
Dane Valley	26	41	15
Eastcliff	48	73	25
Garlinge	25	25	0
Kingsgate	16	21	5
Margate Central	90	126	36
Nethercourt	17	14	-3
Newington	14	29	15
Northwood	102	101	-1
Salmestone	33	35	2
Sir Moses Montefiore	14	33	19
St Peters	42	59	17
Thanet Villages	54	54	0
Viking	60	100	40
Westbrook	33	46	13
Westgate-on-Sea	38	63	25

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Aylesford North and Walderslade	66	54	-12
Aylesford South	80	95	15
Borough Green and Long Mill	50	65	15
Burham and Wouldham	9	14	5
Cage Green	17	20	3
Castle	129	132	3
Ditton	43	39	-4
Downs and Mereworth	21	29	8
East Malling	32	40	8
Hadlow and East Peckham	77	59	-18
Higham	41	40	-1
Hildenborough	45	62	17
Judd	47	42	-5
Kings Hill	128	160	32
Larkfield North	17	28	11
Larkfield South	20	45	25
Medway	63	74	11
Snodland East and Ham Hill	15	34	19
Snodland West and Holborough Lakes	18	21	3
Trench	10	15	5
Vauxhall	41	99	58
Wateringbury	11	14	3
West Malling and Leybourne	72	56	-16
Wrotham Ightham and Stansted	50	55	5

Ward

Dissolutions

Incorporations

Net Change

Ward	Dissolutions	Incorporations	Net Change
Benenden and Cranbrook	44	40	-4
Biddenden	22	17	-5
Brenchley and Horsmonden	33	33	0
Broadwater	23	19	-4
Capel	12	15	3
Culverden	208	152	-56
Frittenden and Sissinghurst	13	15	2
Goudhurst and Lamberhurst	47	49	2
Hawkhurst and Sandhurst	36	23	-13
Paddock Wood East	32	30	-2
Paddock Wood West	21	26	5
Pantiles and St Mark's	80	158	78
Park	66	76	10
Pembury	18	25	7
Rusthall	33	29	-4
Sherwood	36	30	-6
Southborough and High Brooms	37	53	16
Southborough North	25	27	2
Speldhurst and Bidborough	29	40	11
St James'	83	99	16
St John's	39	68	29

Total companies 2023 league table

The counties in England where the most existing companies were based at the end of 2023 and how Kent compares to them.

Rank

County

Total companies

Rank	County	Total companies
1st 2022: 1st	London	1,534,936
2nd 2022: 2nd	Greater Manchester	244,408
3rd 2022: 3rd	West Midlands	227,431
4th 2022: 5th	Essex	153,732
5th 2022: 4th	West Yorkshire	153,003
6th 2022: 6th	Kent	133,898

Rank

County

Total companies

Rank	County	Total companies
1st 2022: 1st	London	1,534,936
4th 2022: 5th	Essex	153,732
6th 2022: 6th	Kent	133,898
9th 2022: 9th	Surrey	109,469
17th 2022: 17th	East Sussex	71,059
25th 2022: 24th	West Sussex	59,896

Rank

County

Total companies

Rank	County	Total companies
1st 2022: 1st	London	1,534,936
2nd 2022: 2nd	Greater Manchester	244,408
3rd 2022: 3rd	West Midlands	227,431
4th 2022: 5th	Essex	153,732
5th 2022: 4th	West Yorkshire	153,003
6th 2022: 6th	Kent	133,898
7th 2022: 7th	Hampshire	126,128
8th 2022: 8th	Hertfordshire	122,871
9th 2022: 9th	Surrey	109,469
10th 2022: 10th	Lancashire	95,511
11th 2022: 12th	Merseyside	83,450
12th 2022: 11th	Cheshire	82,175
13th 2022: 13th	Buckinghamshire	78,961
14th 2022: 14th	Berkshire	78,581
15th 2022: 15th	Leicestershire	75,930
16th 2022: 16th	South Yorkshire	73,897
17th 2022: 17th	East Sussex	71,059
18th 2022: 18th	North Yorkshire	65,895
19th 2022: 19th	Nottinghamshire	64,763
20th 2022: 20th	Devon	63,364
21st 2022: 21st	Dorset	63,266
22nd 2022: 22nd	Staffordshire	61,360
23rd 2022: 23rd	Somerset	60,186
24th 2022: 26th	Cambridgeshire	60,023
25th 2022: 24th	West Sussex	59,896
26th 2022: 25th	Gloucestershire	59,830
27th 2022: 27th	Derbyshire	57,297
28th 2022: 28th	Lincolnshire	54,523
29th 2022: 29th	Northamptonshire	53,911
30th 2022: 30th	Tyne and Wear	53,391
31st 2022: 31st	Bedfordshire	52,721
32nd 2022: 34th	Suffolk	51,083
33rd 2022: 33rd	Norfolk	48,437
34th 2022: 32nd	Oxfordshire	48,030
35th 2022: 35th	Worcestershire	45,794
36th 2022: 36th	Warwickshire	43,587
37th 2022: 37th	Wiltshire	42,004
38th 2022: 39th	Durham	37,332
39th 2022: 38th	Bristol	37,161
40th 2022: 40th	East Riding of Yorkshire	30,108
41st 2022: 41st	Shropshire	28,037
42nd 2022: 42nd	Cornwall	26,998
43rd 2022: 43rd	Cumbria	23,719
44th 2022: 44th	Herefordshire	16,164
45th 2022: 45th	Northumberland	12,830
46th 2022: 46th	Isle of Wight	6,580
47th 2022: 47th	Rutland	2,133

Total companies at the end of 2023 per 1000 people

In Kent

77.3

National Average

86.6

The last 5 years

How the total number of companies in Kent has changed over the last 5 years as new companies have been formed and some existing companies dissolved.

2019

15,963 formed

12,199 dissolved

2020

18,501 formed

10,634 dissolved

2021

16,625 formed

14,027 dissolved

2022

16,109 formed

13,087 dissolved

2023

17,620 formed

14,559 dissolved

Overall growth compared to previous year

8.05% vs 2019

3.14% vs 2020

2.95% vs 2021

2.8% vs 2022

Company Formations in 2023: Kent

New businesses in Kent mapped

Boroughs

Companies formed in 2023 league table

New incorporations in 2023 per 1000 people

In Kent

National Average

Type of companies formed in Kent breakdown

Total companies in Kent by the end of 2023

meaning there is a total of

Surrounding counties 2023 breakdown & comparison

Ward breakdown data for Ashford Canterbury Dartford Dover Gravesham Maidstone Medway Sevenoaks Shepway Swale Thanet Tonbridge and Malling Tunbridge Wells

Total companies 2023 league table

Total companies at the end of 2023 per 1000 people

In Kent

National Average

The last 5 years

Ward breakdown data for