Statutory requirements

What is a social enterprise?

A social enterprise is a business and, like any other business, they seek to make a profit and succeed commercially. But how they operate, who they employ, how they use their profits and where they work is transforming lives and communities across the UK.

Any profit the business makes is reinvested in the business or in the community rather than shared out to shareholders or owners.

There are over 130,000 social enterprises in the UK, creating 2.3 million jobs with a collective turnover of £78 billion.  

Social enterprises work in every sector of the UK economy across areas as diverse as:

• retail

• construction

• training

• transport

• cafes and restaurants

• waste management and recycling

• arts and culture

• cleaning

• healthcare

Further information

Advice from Gov.UK on starting a social enterprise.

Social Enterprise UK is the national body for social enterprises and provides a wide range of advice about starting and running this type of business.