Businesses - Derbyshire Observatory

Derbyshire is home to over 29,700 businesses that employ around 293,000 people. The area has significant strengths in the advanced manufacturing sector, with a number of world class companies such as Toyota, Rolls Royce, JCB and Bombardier choosing to locate and invest in the county and its surrounding area.

Derbyshire contributed £16.5 billion to the UK’s economy prior to the pandemic. The full extent of the economic impact from COVID-19 in Derbyshire and fall out from the end of support schemes remains unknown. The loss in economic output in the county is estimated to be around £2.3bn, with some the county’s key local sectors being hit hard by the pandemic. It is estimated that the construction, education, wholesale and retail sectors have lost more than £200mn each, whilst the manufacturing sector, the county’s largest sector is likely to have seen the biggest fall at nearly £350mn. At the end of July 2021, 15,700 (4.5%) people were on furlough in Derbyshire, below that for England (5.5%).