Powering productivity: why small businesses are pivotal to the UK's digital and economic future

As the UK looks to chart a course toward long-term, inclusive economic resilience, one group remains vastly under-leveraged: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These companies have always been central to the UK economy, driving innovation and job creation. With the right tools and policies, today’s SMEs can scale faster, compete more effectively, and unlock even greater potential to jumpstart growth.

Signs of momentum

The Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Insights Survey reveals that 36% of SMEs are currently growing—a sharp rise from 21% in July 2024. This is a promising sign of renewed economic activity and optimism across the small business sector. But to sustain and broaden this growth, more firms need support in adopting and integrating new technologies.

The AI edge

AI is quickly becoming an essential part of the modern SME toolkit. Among firms already using AI, 77% have reported ...