UK Business Data Survey 2026: information for survey participants

The UK business data survey 2026 gathers evidence on the importance and awareness of data use for UK businesses.

The UK business data survey is a telephone and online-based study of UK businesses. It seeks to understand the role and importance of personal and non-personal data in UK businesses, domestic and international transfers of data, and the awareness of, and attitudes toward, data protection legislation and policy.

More information about the UK business data survey.

This is the fourth time this survey has been carried out. Ipsos has been commissioned to carry out the survey fieldwork which takes place from October 2025 to January 2026.

During this period some organisations will be called by an Ipsos interviewer from their Edinburgh office (an 0131 number) inviting them to take part. You may also receive an email to let you know Ipsos has called and inviting you to reply. You may be offered the option of completing the survey online and, if so, you will receive the survey link via email from Ipsos - ukbusinessdatasurvey@ipsos.com

What UK businesses told us about data in 2024

The UK business data survey 2024 provides a detailed look at how businesses across the country are using data, from basic digital practices to more advanced applications. A summary of the key insights can be found below.

If you’re interested in reading more about the findings you can find the full report here.

General data use

• 77% of UK businesses worked with digitised data, rising to 99% among businesses with 10 or more employees
• 14% of those shared data outside their organisation, a sign of more advanced data use
• Around 21% of businesses that handled digitised data used it to generate new insights and knowledge

Data infrastructure

• Among those storing data off-site, 10% experienced server downtime in the past year, with large businesses (27%) more likely to be affected than micro businesses (11%) or sole traders (9%)

Data protection and handling

• 58% of businesses that handled digitised data said they had heard of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and understood its role
• 42% agreed that the ICO’s guidance is clear and easy to understand, while 12% disagreed
• Most businesses (75%) felt the burden of complying with UK data protection law had stayed the same over the previous 12 months, while 14% felt it had increased

International data transfers

• 9% of businesses said that they transfer data overseas, with larger businesses (36%) being more likely to do so compared to 10% of micro businesses and 8% of sole traders
• Among businesses trading internationally, 16% said UK data protection laws were a barrier to trade with both the EU/EEA and the rest of the world
• The most common destinations for international data transfers were EU/EEA countries, along with the United States, Australia, and Canada
• To manage these transfers, businesses used a range of legal mechanisms: 15% used International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs), 25% used EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), and 20% used Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs)

Who is being invited to take part?

Participation in the UK business data survey 2026 is voluntary. Businesses across the UK have been selected at random, from the Market Location Database, whilst ensuring a spread across different sectors and numbers of employees. The Market Location Database is a list of UK businesses maintained by Market Location for commercial purposes. This information is provided to us by Market Location, so please see their privacy notice for details.

How does your participation help? 

Through your participation you can help us understand: 

• what benefit data can bring to businesses and the whole economy

• the importance of balancing privacy with data use

• the importance of being able to move data around, both domestically and internationally

Who is conducting the survey?

Ipsos is carrying out the survey on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Ipsos is a well-known survey organisation in the UK. It carries out research studies in the areas of social and public policy, covering topics such as sport, culture, health, science, education, crime and employment.

More information about Ipsos.

Contacts

To contact Ipsos about the survey, please find the relevant contact details below:

Data protection and privacy notice

For general information on how DSIT handles personal data, please read DSIT’s personal information charter.

More detailed information about how your personal data is processed, as well as your rights under the data protection legislation, is available in the privacy notice in the documents section at the top of this page.

For any data protection queries please contact the DSIT Data Protection Officer: dataprotection@dsit.gov.uk.

Please visit the Ipsos website to access the Ipsos privacy notice for the survey.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has produced a guide to your rights. If you are not happy with the way we are processing your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office about our practices, or you can call their helpline on 0303 123 1113.

Enquiries

For general queries about the questionnaire and survey outputs, please contact the UK Business Data Survey team at DSIT: ukbusinessdatasurvey@dsit.gov.uk.