Annual Business Survey
type: Dataset
description: [Scottish Annual Business Statistics (SABS)](https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-annual-business-statistics-2023/) data are mainly sourced to the Annual Business Survey and measures the non-financial business economy (which covers the Production, Construction and Service Sectors in Scotland). The main sectors not covered are the financial sector & parts of agriculture and the public sector. Data are classified according to industry group and geographical area. All figures are in current prices (i.e. values have not been adjusted for inflation). Variables include employment, employees, turnover, purchases of goods & services, approximate gross value added (aGVA), gross wages & salaries, labour costs, total output and number of business units. GVA per head, gross wages & salaries per head and labour costs per head are also available.
issued: 2026-08-13T12:14:05.221444
modified: 2026-08-13T12:16:45.258137
version notes: Data is compiled from an annual survey. Please note that when a new year's Annual Business Survey (ABS) data is released, the previous year's data is revised at the same time.
contact point: Organization
contact point: Kind
theme: Business, Enterprise and Energy
accuracy: Please visit Quality Measures and Data Reliability in these [methodology notes](https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-annual-business-statistics-2023/pages/methodology-notes/)
comment: Financial and employment data by broad industry by year. Annual Business Survey (ABS) provides data mainly on the Production (including Manufacturing), Construction and Service Sectors in Scotland. The statistics are best suited to the analysis of individual industries rather than the economy as a whole.
completeness: For other Tables, commentary and more methodology please visit [SABS website](https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-annual-business-statistics-2023/)
confidentiality: Any starred cell contains confidential data. This is data which has been withheld from publication in order that no information relating to an individual business is disclosed. Caution should therefore be exercised if summary data is calculated; it may include suppressed cells in which case it will not be a true representation of industry or area totals.
consistency: Data can be compared between different industries, local authority areas and to look at trends over time. For comparisons with other UK regions, please visit [Office for National Statistics website](https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/businessservices/bulletins/nonfinancialbusinesseconomyukandregionalannualbusinesssurvey/2023results)
geographical coverage: S12
geographical coverage: S92
license id: uk-ogl
next update: 2026-10-01
quality management: Standard Errors at Local Authority area level for 2012 to 2018 and 2020 to 2023 are available in the Tables published in [SABS 2023](https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-annual-business-statistics-2023/documents/) Please note that it was not possible to produce Standard Errors for 2019, for more information please visit Quality Measures in these [methodology notes](https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-annual-business-statistics-2023/pages/methodology-notes/)
reference period: PeriodOfTime
  end date: 2023
  start date: 2008
timeliness: It is the aim to publish Scottish Annual Business Statistics as soon as feasible after the release of the [Office for National Statistics' regional results.](https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/businessservices/bulletins/nonfinancialbusinesseconomyukandregionalannualbusinesssurvey/2023results)
uniqueness: Not assessed
update frequency: annual
validity: The Annual Business Survey, from which the statistics are largely derived, covers approximately two thirds of the economy. The main sectors not covered are the financial sector & parts of agriculture and the public sector. These statistics are therefore best suited to the analysis of individual industries rather than the economy as a whole. Industries are compiled using [Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 07) codes](https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/ukstandardindustrialclassificationofeconomicactivities/uksic2007). A SIC code is allocated to a business site according to its main activity.
will be updated: true

annual-business-survey.csv
type: Distribution
description: Data file for Annual Business Survey
format: CSV
issued: 2026-08-13T12:16:45.273094
modified: 2026-08-13T12:16:45.267358
table schema: Schema
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Measurement
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyName
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Industry SectorSic07
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyCode
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Units
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Value
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: IndicatorAbs
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyType
  column: Column
    datatype: int
    name: DateCode
access URL: https://admin.data.gov.scot/resource/19c0cb27-7eee-4d94-9871-5ce4ea03a297/download
comment: Financial and employment data by broad industry by year. Annual Business Survey (ABS) provides data mainly on the Production (including Manufacturing), Construction and Service Sectors in Scotland. The statistics are best suited to the analysis of individual industries rather than the economy as a whole.
dictionary: Column
  column: Industry SectorSic07
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyName
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Measurement
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Units
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Value
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyType
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyCode
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: IndicatorAbs
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: DateCode
  type: int

Scottish Government
type: Agent

Business, Enterprise and Energy
type: Concept