GeraMarket / UK Business Vitality / Reading
Reading Business Vitality Score
What is the business vitality score for Reading in 2024?
In 2024, Reading scores 50.4/100 on the Gera Business Vitality Score (GBVS), ranking 188 of 354 UK local authorities. The area recorded 920 business births, 35.9% 5-year enterprise survival, and 7,360 active enterprises, per ONS Business Demography 2024 (OGL v3.0).
GBVS component breakdown
35.9%
5-year survival rate
Weight: 50% · 2019 cohort
+2.5%
Net birth rate
Weight: 30% · (births − deaths) / active
7,360
Active enterprises
Weight: 20% · normalised density
Reading business data (2024)
| Metric | Reading (2024) | UK context |
|---|---|---|
| Gera Business Vitality Score (GBVS) | 50.4/100 | Mean: 50.0/100 |
| 5-year enterprise survival rate | 35.9% | UK: 38.4% |
| Enterprise births (2024) | 920 | — |
| Enterprise deaths (2024) | 735 | — |
| Net birth rate | +2.5% | — |
| Active enterprises (2024) | 7,360 | — |
| National rank (GBVS) | 188 of 354 | — |
Compare Reading with other UK areas
Filter all UK local authorities by GBVS score, survival rate, or net birth rate to find comparable or better-performing areas.
≥ 0/100
≥ 0%
354 areas match your filters. Showing top 25.
| Area | GBVS | 5yr surv. | Net birth | Active | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1Westminster | 74.2/100 | 43.7% | +2.6% | 58,370 | View → |
| #2Isles of Scilly | 73.7/100 | 66.7% | +2.9% | 170 | View → |
| #3Camden | 67.4/100 | 38.0% | +3.9% | 40,825 | View → |
| #4Shetland Islands | 66.2/100 | 63.6% | +1.0% | 960 | View → |
| #5Derry City and Strabane | 63.7/100 | 44.2% | +5.2% | 5,005 | View → |
| #6Hackney | 63/100 | 39.3% | +3.3% | 29,340 | View → |
| #7Fermanagh and Omagh | 62.6/100 | 48.1% | +3.6% | 5,210 | View → |
| #8Islington | 62.3/100 | 36.5% | +4.3% | 26,145 | View → |
| #9Mid Ulster | 61.9/100 | 54.5% | +1.4% | 6,825 | View → |
| #10Leeds | 61/100 | 41.8% | +1.6% | 32,105 | View → |
| #11Tower Hamlets | 61/100 | 38.4% | +4.2% | 18,975 | View → |
| #12South Kesteven | 60.7/100 | 48.8% | +2.7% | 6,185 | View → |
| #13Belfast | 59.9/100 | 39.5% | +4.3% | 11,895 | View → |
| #14Cornwall | 59.8/100 | 46.8% | +0.8% | 23,255 | View → |
| #15Birmingham | 59.4/100 | 29.7% | +3.1% | 43,175 | View → |
| #16Hillingdon | 59.3/100 | 38.9% | +3.8% | 16,295 | View → |
| #17Cambridge | 59/100 | 48.0% | +2.4% | 5,375 | View → |
| #18Manchester | 58.9/100 | 33.9% | +3.8% | 26,230 | View → |
| #19Glasgow City | 58.9/100 | 40.1% | +2.5% | 22,170 | View → |
| #20Bradford | 58.6/100 | 41.0% | +2.6% | 18,630 | View → |
| #21Herefordshire County of | 58.4/100 | 50.0% | +1.2% | 9,100 | View → |
| #22Epping Forest | 58.1/100 | 48.1% | +1.6% | 9,080 | View → |
| #23Shropshire | 58/100 | 49.8% | +0.5% | 13,645 | View → |
| #24Torridge | 58/100 | 53.7% | +0.8% | 2,615 | View → |
| #25Powys | 57.9/100 | 50.0% | +1.4% | 5,830 | View → |
Source: ONS Business Demography 2025 (OGL v3.0). Showing top 25 of 354 matching areas.
Get business insights for Reading
Be the first to receive annual GBVS updates, local business trend reports, and new ONS Business Demography data for Reading and nearby areas.
Areas with similar GBVS to Reading
Frequently asked questions
- What is the business survival rate in Reading?
- In Reading, 35.9% of enterprises born in 2019 survived to their 5th year (2023), per ONS Business Demography Table 5.1a. The UK average 5-year survival rate is 38.4%.
- How many businesses were started in Reading in 2024?
- ONS Business Demography 2024 records 920 enterprise births and 735 enterprise deaths in Reading, giving a net birth rate of +2.5% relative to the 7,360 active enterprises.
- What does the Gera Business Vitality Score (GBVS) mean for Reading?
- A GBVS of 50.4/100 indicates moderate business vitality. The score combines 5-year survival rate (50% weight), net business birth rate (30%), and active enterprise density (20%), each normalised across all 354 UK local authorities. Reading ranks 188th nationally.
- How does Reading compare to other UK areas for business?
- Reading ranks 188 of 354 UK local authorities on the GBVS. Similar-scoring areas include: Herefordshire County of (58.4/100), Epping Forest (58.1/100), Shropshire (58/100), Torridge (58/100), Powys (57.9/100).
Contains public sector information published by Office for National Statistics and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: ONS Business Demography 2024 (2024, published 20 November 2025).