The State of Social Enterprise Report 2025 | Social Enterprise UK

10 Dec 2025

Social enterprises are innovating, reducing inequalities, creating jobs and opportunities across the country, paying fairly, and are more representative of society as a whole than mainstream business. To continue to thrive, they must have the right tools, support, resources, and recognition.

The data in this report from Social Enterprise UK highlights the resilience, innovation and impact of social enterprises across the UK. This State of the Sector report shows that, despite tough economic conditions, social enterprises continue to make a visible positive impact on society. 

Key Highlights

•  Around 42% of social enterprises focused on cutting costs and boosting efficiency, particularly in Scotland and the West Midlands, in least deprived areas, and in larger organisations. 
• Social enterprises in Scotland and Northern Ireland were more likely to anticipate reducing costs/increasing efficiency
• Organisations responding to the Welsh and Scottish surveys were more likely to be Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee (CIC) (CLG) than those in the main sample - 44% in Wales and 41% in Scotland, compared to 22% in the overall sample.

Read the full report here.