Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity. There isn’t a more essential measure of a business’s success and sustainability. But when it comes to profit, not all businesses are created equal.
Profitable businesses find the balance between customer demand, low start up costs, and working in a growing industry. Find out which professions are the most profitable in 2025.
Most profitable UK businesses in the UK: key takeaways
- AI consultants are in high demand, with technology and AI sectors receiving lots of funding in the UK. As businesses look to adopt AI more in their processes, the demand for AI consultants could continue to grow
- the pet industry in the UK continues to grow each year. Pet groomers, walkers, and sitters are thriving businesses. But pet food and toy products are profitable too
- the hair and beauty sector is booming. Whether its products or services, the demand for self-care products is high
- social media has given cleaning businesses a whole new revenue stream. Before and after or satisfying deep cleaning videos have added interest to an already profitable industry
- skilled tradespeople are booked up months in advance. With builders, dryliners, and glaziers all making considerable profits in the last year
What makes a business profitable?
For entrepreneurs that are just starting out or looking for a gap in the market, focusing on these things can help you take a step towards a profitable business:
- jumping on a trend in the market – when you’re selling a trending product, you can experience rapid business growth and higher sales
- low startup costs – the less money you need to spend to get your business up and running, the more profit you’ll make
- satisfying a demand – if your product solves a problem or meets a demand, you should get a steady stream of customers
The UK businesses turning a profit in 2025
With the factors above in mind, we’ve put together a list of businesses and industries that, with the right expertise and application, have the potential to make you a profit.
1. AI consultant
Whether it’s the government’s £2 billion pledge or Microsoft’s $30 billion dollar
commitment to the UK – there’s lots of investment in AI. AI businesses made £29.8 billion in the UK in 2024 and it looks set to grow further.
AI consultants offer guidance to businesses to help them use AI effectively. And with businesses of all sizes looking to adopt AI – consultants are benefiting from the AI boom.
Daily rates for contractors average at £580 while specialist consultants can earn over £100,000 a year. And because the work is mainly online, the start-up costs are low.
The earning potential of AI consultants could grow along with the industry. As more businesses bring AI into their strategy, the demand will increase for knowledgeable AI consultants.
So if you’ve got a background in tech and want to specialise in a fast-emerging industry, a role as an AI consultant could be for you.
2. Pet care services
The UK is a nation filled with pet lovers who are willing to spend money on their furry friends – with the UK pet care industry projected to be worth £16.5 billion by 2033
And the range of work in the industry makes it accessible regardless of your experience.
Looking for a low cost business idea in the pet care world? Pet walking and pet sitting services require little startup costs, which means you have a greater chance at making a profit.
Alternatively, a pet grooming business offers a higher earning potential. While the start up costs are more than other pet businesses, they’re worthwhile investments. Pet grooming was worth around £420 million in 2024, with projections for continued growth.
There are lots of things to consider when establishing a pet grooming business. Our video below, with professional dog groomer Kim, goes through some of the essential steps you need to take.
3. Hair and beauty products and services
The hair and beauty sector in the UK was worth £30.4 billion in 2024. Just the services alone, like hairdressing and beauty treatments, were estimated to be worth £5.9 billion. And the size of this market will only grow further.
This is driven by increasing consumer demand for skincare, cosmetics, and wellness products. Successful small businesses offer niche products, personalised services, or creative brands. But most importantly, they capitalise on online trends.
The most profitable businesses manage to put it all together to create a strong brand identity and line of products alongside their services.
4. Cleaning services
With some estimating that the global industry will be worth £486 billion by 2030, cleaning services are in demand.
Most cleaning businesses have the potential to be profitable businesses, whether you’re working on local houses or bigger corporate cleaning jobs. Our guide explains the variety of ways you can run a successful cleaning business.
Social media is playing a bigger role for cleaning businesses too. Before and after cleaning videos are popular online, with some business owners creating whole revenue streams from social media.
5. Specialised tradesperson
The demand for skilled tradespeople is high in the UK – with four months being the average wait time for a quality builder. Recent data from Simply Business revealed which trades earn the most in the UK – and where they’re based. So if you’re a builder in Chichester, you might be in luck.
Builders had an average pre-tax turnover of £110,260 in 2024. Dryliners, groundworkers, and glaziers also all ranked highly amongst trades in the UK.
And depending on where you’re based, you could make even more profit.
How to run your business successfully
Having a good idea is only a small part of running a profitable business. Here are some useful guides that can help you brush up on the essential skills to running a successful business:
More useful guides for small business owners
- What is an SME?
- 11 best online business ideas
- Best small business bank accounts
- What is public liability insurance?
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