# Peak profit: The UK industries with the highest return for your investment
Published: 2022-08-17
Category: Investment
Category URL: https://business.express/category/investment/
Meta Title: Peak Profit The Uk Industries With The Highest Return For
URL: https://business.express/peak-profit-the-uk-industries-with-the-highest-return-for-your-investment/

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**A breakdown of median profit made by UK SMEs (2021)**

![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qsmfaw001wwirgq3ggueqg/images/caitlin-1-1737028982086-compressed.jpg)

Data reveals that SMEs in the **business and property services** have the highest profit in the UK, at **£13,000**. With house prices currently at a record high, it’s no surprise that **business and property services** are amongst the sectors making the **most profit** in the UK.

Ranking joint first place was the **wholesale and retail sector**, which made a profit of **£13,000** throughout 2021. Although the high street has struggled recently due to the pandemic and rising costs of inflation, online retail sales have excelled. In 2021, around [29 percent](https://www.statista.com/statistics/315520/online-share-of-retail-sales-in-the-uk/) of retail sales were made online in the UK, making the sector one of the **most profitable**.

Data suggests that the **median average profit** of SMEs in the UK was approximately **£11,000** in 2021.

The **health and social sector** reportedly made the **lowest average profit** in 2021 at just **£9,000**.

**Business Performance of SMEs in the UK (2012 – 2021)**

![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qsmfaw001wwirgq3ggueqg/images/business-performance-of-smes-in-the-uk-from-q1-2012-to-q4-2021-1737028982140-compressed.jpg)

Research found that by the fourth quarter of 2021, **53%** of SMEs in the UK had made a **profit** in the previous 12 months, compared with **7%** that **broke even**, and **18%** that **made a loss**. **_21%_** _of businesses either_ **_didn’t know or refused to comment_** _._

**The research reports that until 2020, the share of SMEs that made a profit was relatively stable.** In 2020 however, this share fell from **73%** in the **first quarter of 2020** to **47%** in the **second quarter of 2021,** due to an influx of external factors such as the pandemic, rising inflation costs and cost of living crisis.

Data reports that by the end of Q4 in 2021, **21%** of SMEs were borrowing more finance than they needed to before the pandemic.

**To conclude, James Andrews, senior personal finance expert**, said: _“Business performance has been tumultuous over the last few years, with the number of businesses making a profit decreasing since 2019 – before the COVID-19 pandemic had even begun. Despite businesses starting to make profit again in the second half of 2021, the cost of living crisis is inevitably going to have a significant impact on UK SMEs this year and beyond._

_“However, it’s not all doom and gloom. The property/business services and wholesale and retail sectors made the most profit in 2021, accumulating £13,000 – £2,000 more than the median average profit of all UK SMEs.”_


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