Almost one in four UK businesses with fewer than 10 employees (23.0%) said in early October that they had either no cash reserves or less than a month's worth, according to Office for National Statistics survey data published on 22 October 2026.
The figures come from wave 166 of the ONS Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS), which asked firms how long they expected their cash reserves to last. Small Cap News analysed the size breakdown in the ONS dataset. The cash reserves results were not among the main points of the ONS bulletin.
Among micro businesses, 15.0% said they had no cash reserves at all and a further 8.0% said their reserves would last less than a month. That compares with 5.3% of businesses with 250 or more employees.
The gap by size
The share of businesses with less than a month of cash, or none, falls steadily as firms get bigger:
- Fewer than 10 employees: 23.0%
- 10 to 49 employees: 16.3%
- 50 to 99 employees: 8.3%
- 100 to 249 employees: 7.9%
- 250 or more employees: 5.3%
At the other end, 22.4% of micro firms said their reserves would last more than six months, about half the 45.2% of large businesses that said the same. Between 20.7% and 27.8% of businesses in each size band said they were not sure, including 22.0% of micro firms.
Thinner cushions than two years ago
The share of micro businesses with less than a month of cash is little changed on a year ago, when it was 24.1% in September 2025, and slightly lower than the 23.5% recorded in mid-September 2026. Fewer micro firms reported having no reserves at all: 15.0%, against 16.4% in September and 18.0% a year earlier.
The longer view is weaker. In September 2024, 19.4% of micro firms had less than a month of cash and 26.4% had more than six months. Today the six-month figure is 22.4%, down from 24.9% a year ago.
Hardest hit sectors
Across firms of all sizes, transport and storage businesses were the most likely to have no cash reserves, at 31.2%. In accommodation and food services, 20.0% had none and 13.2% had less than a month, a combined 33.2%.
The same survey found 72% of businesses had some degree of concern about rising fuel prices in early October, and 15% said energy prices would be their main concern in November.
About the data
BICS wave 166 was live from 5 to 18 October 2026. The ONS received 9,862 responses from a sample of 38,554 businesses, a response rate of 25.6%. Results are weighted by business count and cover businesses that had not permanently stopped trading. The ONS publishes BICS as official statistics in development and advises caution, as the estimates are subject to sampling uncertainty. The next release is due on 5 November 2026.
Key facts
- 23.0% of firms with fewer than 10 staff have no cash reserves or less than a month's worth
- The figure is 5.3% for firms with 250 or more staff
- 22.4% of micro firms have more than six months of cash, against 45.2% of large firms
- Micro firms with a six-month cushion: 26.4% in September 2024, 22.4% now
- Transport and storage: 31.2% of firms have no cash reserves
- Fieldwork 5 to 18 October 2026; 9,862 responses
Source: Office for National Statistics, Business insights and impact on the UK economy, 22 October 2026, and BICS wave 166 dataset (ons.gov.uk). See also: Data & Surveys, Growth and how to send us your news.