Facts and resources
The numbers behind small business, a quick quiz, and where to find free, trustworthy help.
Small business around the world
Small and medium-sized firms make up around 90% of businesses worldwide and provide more than half of all jobs, according to the World Bank. Here is how that looks in the main English-speaking economies.
- 36.2 millionsmall businesses in the United States: 99.9% of all businesses, employing 45.9% of private sector workers.Source: FAQ About Small Business 2026, SBA Office of Advocacy
- 98.2%of Canadian employer businesses are small (1 to 99 employees). They employ 5.8 million people, 46.6% of the private workforce.Source: Key Small Business Statistics 2025, ISED Canada
- 97%of Australia’s 2.8 million actively trading businesses are small, with fewer than 20 employees.Sources: ABS, June 2026 and ASBFEO
- 99.8%of active enterprises in Ireland are small or medium-sized, employing 67.9% of people working in business.Source: Business in Ireland 2022, CSO
- 97%of New Zealand’s businesses are small, with fewer than 20 employees.Source: Data for business, business.govt.nz
- 5.7 millionprivate sector businesses in the UK, and 99.2% of them have fewer than 50 employees.Source: Business population estimates 2025, DBT
Countries count businesses in different ways and in different years, so these figures are not directly comparable.
Quick quiz
True or false?
Six quick statements about small business. How many can you get right?
Around nine in ten businesses worldwide are small or medium-sized.
The World Bank says SMEs make up around 90% of businesses and more than half of employment worldwide.
Small businesses employ less than a quarter of private sector workers in the United States.
US small businesses employ 45.9% of private sector workers, about 62.3 million people.
Source: Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026, SBA Office of Advocacy
Most Australian businesses have 20 or more employees.
97% of actively trading Australian businesses are small, with fewer than 20 employees.
Nearly all Canadian employer businesses are small.
98.2% of Canadian employer businesses have 1 to 99 employees.
Small and medium-sized firms employ about two thirds of people working in business in Ireland.
SMEs employ 67.9% of people working in business in Ireland.
Late payment forces dozens of UK businesses to close every day.
UK government figures put it at about 14,000 closures a year, or 38 a day.
Source: Late payments infographic, Department for Business and Trade
Free help, country by country
Official and not-for-profit support, all free to use.
United States
- US Small Business Administration
The federal agency for small business loans, disaster help, government contracts and free counselling.
- SCORE
Free, confidential mentoring from experienced volunteers for anyone starting, running or growing a US small business.
- Small Business Development Centers
Nearly 1,000 centers across the US giving free, confidential business advice.
Canada
- Innovation Canada: Business Benefits Finder
A government tool that lists the federal and provincial programmes that fit your business.
- BDC articles and tools
Free guides, templates, calculators and webinars from the Business Development Bank of Canada.
Australia
- business.gov.au
Government information, grants, registrations and support for Australian businesses.
13 28 46 - Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman
Help with disputes with other businesses or with Commonwealth agencies.
Ireland
- Local Enterprise Offices
31 offices across Ireland helping small businesses with starting up, funding, exporting and training.
- Samaritans (Ireland and UK)
If running a business is getting on top of you, talk to someone. Free, confidential support, any time of day or night.
116 123
New Zealand
- business.govt.nz
The government’s site to help small businesses understand the rules and succeed.
United Kingdom
- Business Support Service
Free government advice for businesses in England on starting, running and growing.
0800 998 1098 - Full UK list on our UK edition
Help for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus tax, staff, fraud and wellbeing.
About these figures
Every figure on this page comes from an official or public source, linked under each fact. We give the year each source covers, because official figures are often a year or two behind.
Figures checked on 26 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.