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Business investment in the UK: Guidance for overseas businesses

Guidance on why overseas companies should set up and locate their businesses in the UK. Includes information on UK business investment and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) opportunities.

Published 7 April 2015
Last updated 14 February 2017 — see all updates
From:
Department for International Trade

The UK is the number 1 destination for FDI in Europe

Companies choose to expand or move their businesses to the UK because it’s an ideal location. More companies locate their European headquarters in the UK than anywhere else in Europe.

The UK has:

  • people with the talent and right skills
  • a simple and competitive tax rate system
  • a transparent regulatory system making it easier to do business

Visit www.great.gov.uk for your guide to setting up an overseas business in the UK.

Watch investors talk about why their businesses are located in the UK

Inward Investors talking about being in the UK

Enquiries for overseas companies looking to set up in the UK

Overseas companies can contact the Investment Services Team for information about setting up in the UK including the help that is available.

See separate contacts for investment in Life Sciences, Automotive, Regeneration projects, Financial Services and Offshore Wind

Reasons to expand a business to the UK

Why more overseas companies set up in the UK than anywhere else in Europe.

  1. Why overseas companies should set up in the UK

    • Promotional material

UK industry sectors

Guides on industries in the UK including opportunities for investment.

Visit www.great.gov.uk to see our new guides for:

We welcome your feedback about these new-look guides.

  1. Agri-tech in the UK: investment opportunities

    • Promotional material

  2. Communications industry in the UK: investment opportunities

    • Guidance

  3. Electronics and IT Hardware in the UK: investment opportunities

    • Guidance

  4. Information Communications Technology (ICT) in the UK: investment opportunities

    • Guidance

  5. Guide to Islamic finance in the UK

    • Guidance

  6. Marine energy in the UK: investment opportunities

    • Promotional material

  7. Rail industry guide for overseas investors

    • Promotional material

  8. Science and Innovation in the UK: commercial benefits

    • Guidance

  9. Space technology in the UK: investment opportunities

    • Guidance

  10. Waste Management in the UK: investment opportunities

    • Guidance

Entrepreneur programmes

Details of programmes by DIT to help entrepreneurs who are based overseas, bring their businesses and ideas to the UK. This includes the Sirius programme for graduate entrepreneurs.

  1. Entrepreneurs setting up in the UK

    • Guidance

Investor stories

Examples of international companies DIT has helped to expand their businesses to the UK.

Annual inward investment reports (2012 to 2016)

These annual reports show inward investment activity in the UK and include the number of foreign direct investment projects.

  1. DIT inward investment results for the tax year 2015 to 2016

    • Corporate report

  2. UKTI Inward Investment Report 2014 to 2015

    • Corporate report

  3. UKTI inward investment report 2013-2014

    • Corporate report

  4. Inward investment report 2012/13

    • Corporate report
Published 7 April 2015
Last updated 14 February 2017 + show all updates
  1. Added links to new investment sector pages on great.gov.uk for advanced manufacturing, aerospace, food and drink, and retail.
  2. Added links to the new investment sector guides on www.GREAT.gov.uk
  3. First published.
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