Skip to main content
Log in

How Good Are the UK VAT Registration Data at Measuring Firm Births?

  • Published:
Small Business Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper utilises some data from a survey of recent VAT registrations in the North of England to examine two issues: first, the extent to which registrants are involved in setting up entirely new businesses; and secondly, the relationship between the date of registration and the start of trading. The paper suggests that some caution should be exercised in the use of VAT registration statistics in the analysis of firm births.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ashcroft, B., J. Love and E. Malloy, 1991, ‘New Firm Formation in the British Counties, with Special Reference to Scotland’, Regional Studies 25(5), 395-409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashcroft, B. and J. Love, 1994, ‘Employment Change and New firm Formation in GB Counties’, Paper presented at the ESRC Urban and Regional Economics Seminar Group, Craigie College, Ayr.

  • Bannock, G. and Partners, 1989, Small Business Statistics: A Feasibility Study Prepared for the Department of Employment, London: Graham Bannock and Partners.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beesley, M. E. and R. T. Hamilton, 1994, ‘Entry Propensity, the Supply of Entrants and the Spatial Distribution of Business Units’, Regional Studies 28(3), 233-239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, J., D. de Meza and D. Jeffreys, 1992, ‘House Prices, the Supply of Collateral and the Enterprise Economy’, Paper given at the Centre for Economic Performance, 5 June.

  • Creedy, J. and P. S. Johnson, 1983, ‘Firm Formation in Manufacturing Industry’, Applied Economics 15(2), 177-187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daley, M., 1990, ‘The 1980s - a Decade of Growth in Enterprise,’ Employment Gazette 98, 553-565.

    Google Scholar 

  • DTI, 1993, VAT Registrations and Deregistrations in the U.K. (1980-1991), Sheffield: DTI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganguly, P., 1985, U.K. Small Business Statistics and International Comparisons,London: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, M. and G. Gudgin, 1994, ‘Spatial Variations in New Firm Formation in the Republic of Ireland, 1980-1990’, Regional Studies 28(4), 367-380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, P. S., 1986, New Firms: An Economic Perspective, London: Unwin Hyman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, P. S. and S. Parker, 1994, ‘The Interrelationships between Births and Deaths’, Small Business Economics 6(4), 283-290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, P. S. and S. Parker, 1996, ‘Spatial Variations in the Determinants and Effects of Firm Births and Deaths’, Regional Studies, forthcoming.

  • Keeble, D., P. Tyler, G. Broom and J. Lewis, 1992, Business Success in the Countryside, London: Department of the Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeble, D. and S. Walker, 1994, ‘New Firms, Small Firms and Dead Firms: Spatial Patterns and Determinants in the United Kingdom’, Regional Studies 28(4), 411-427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeble, D., S. Walker and M. Robson, 1993, New Firm Formation and Small Business Growth in the United Kingdom: Spatial and Temporal Variations and Determinants, Research Series No 15, London: Employment Department.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, C., 1983, ‘Some Definitional Difficulties in New Firms Research’, Area 15(1), 53-60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, C. and R. Harrison, 1993, ‘Spatial variations in the role of equity investment in the financing of SMEs’, in J. Curran and D. Storey, Small Firms in Urban and Rural Locations, London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robson, M., 1994, ‘Housing Wealth, Business Creation and Dissolution in the U.K. Regions’, Department of Economics, Newcastle upon Tyne, mimeo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Storey, D. J., 1994, Understanding the Small Business Sector, London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Storey, D. J. and A. M. Jones, 1987, ‘New Firm Formation - A Labour Market Approach to Industrial Entry’, Scottish Journal of Political Economy 34(1), 37-51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westhead, P. and A. Moyes, 1992, ‘Reflections on Thatcher's Britain: Evidence for New Production Firm Registrations 1980-88’, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development 4(1), 21-56.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Johnson, P., Conway, C. How Good Are the UK VAT Registration Data at Measuring Firm Births?. Small Business Economics 9, 403–409 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007989110381

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007989110381

Keywords

Navigation