One in three UK businesses reports higher costs for goods and services
New results from a fortnightly business survey show that a third of UK trading businesses said the prices of goods and services they bought rose in September. The proportion was 33 per cent, four percentage points higher than in August and 12 points above September last year.
The increase in reported costs does not show that firms passed those costs on to customers. In the same survey, 12 per cent of trading businesses said prices for goods and services they sold had risen in September, broadly unchanged from August. The two measures describe different reported experiences and do not establish a direct link between input costs and selling prices.
Energy and fuel concerns remain widespread
In early October, 72 per cent of businesses reported some degree of concern about increases in fuel prices. That included 38 per cent who said they were very concerned. For energy prices, 70 per cent reported some concern and 30 per cent said they were very concerned.
Looking ahead, 15 per cent of businesses expected energy prices to be their main concern in November. This was five percentage points higher than the proportion identifying energy prices as their main concern for October, and 10 points above the November 2025 figure. The transport and storage industry had the largest share expecting energy prices to be its main concern, at 33 per cent, followed by accommodation and food services at 25 per cent.
Energy prices were also the most frequently reported factor prompting businesses to consider raising selling prices in November, cited by 32 per cent. That figure was four percentage points above October and 14 points higher than a year earlier. It reflects businesses’ stated consideration, rather than a confirmed decision or a forecast of actual price changes.
Survey results carry important limits
The findings are from the 166th wave of the Business Insights and Conditions Survey, which was open from 5 to 18 October. It asked businesses about conditions including turnover, prices, energy and fuel, supply chains, recruitment and business concerns. The results draw on responses from 9,862 of 38,554 businesses sampled, a response rate of 25.6 per cent.
The survey is voluntary, and its estimates are classified as official statistics in development. They are subject to uncertainty, including sampling variability and non-sampling error, and should be interpreted with caution. The results represent responding businesses within the survey’s coverage, not every UK business. Some sectors are excluded, including agriculture, oil and gas extraction, energy generation and supply, public administration, public provision of education and health, and finance and insurance.
Trading businesses in these results means businesses that described themselves as fully or partially trading. The national statistics office reported that 95 per cent of businesses were trading in early October, with 87 per cent fully trading and 8 per cent partially trading. These are measures of reported status, not an assessment of profitability or the overall health of the business sector.
The latest figures therefore show a rise in the share of firms reporting higher purchase prices, alongside widespread concern about fuel and energy costs. They do not quantify the total change in business costs, explain what caused price movements, or establish how much of any increase has been reflected in prices charged to customers.
