Defining knowledge intensive business services
Knowledge intensive business services was identified as an additional area of strategic importance as part of the update of the North East LEP's strategic Economic plan in 2022. The figures reported on this page are based on standard industrial classification codes.
Number of enterprises
In 2023 there were 10,210 enterprises in knowledge intensive business services across the North East LEP area. This was 270 fewer than in 2023, however, this decline was driven by a fall in the number of micro enterprises (enterprises with between 0-9 employees). Enterprises with more than 10 employees increased by 10 over the same period.
Of the total enterprises 2,215 were in County Durham, 2,180 in Newcastle and 1,900 in Northumberland, the three local authorities with the largest number of enterprises.
Employment
In 2022 there were 89,000 individuals in employment in knowledge intensive business services across the North East LEP. 30,000 of these were employed in Newcastle upon Tyne, which had the largest number of employments.
Knowledge intensive business services accounted for 11% of employment in the North East LEP in 2022, three percentage points lower than in England excluding London.
