UK Company Age & Incorporation Date Explained
A company's age — measured from its incorporation date — is one of the most powerful ways to segment UK businesses.
On firmlist, filtering by incorporation date allows you to target companies at specific stages of their lifecycle, whether you're selling services, analysing markets, or monitoring risk.
This guide explains:
- what incorporation date means
- how company age affects behaviour
- when newer or older companies are more valuable
- how to combine age with other filters for precision
Try these example searches:
What is an incorporation date?
The incorporation date is the day a company was legally formed and added to the Companies House register.
Key points:
- It never changes
- It marks the legal birth of the company
- It is different from when trading actually begins
Company age is calculated from this date.
Why company age matters
Different businesses need different things at different stages of life.
Understanding company age helps you:
- approach companies when they are most receptive
- avoid wasting effort on firms unlikely to change suppliers
- identify early-stage or late-stage opportunities
Typical UK company lifecycle (simplified)
0-12 months: Newly incorporated
Characteristics:
- Often setting up operations
- Choosing accountants, banks, insurers, software
- High supplier churn
- Many will never trade
Best for
- Accountants
- Bookkeepers
- Banks and lenders
- Business insurance
- SaaS onboarding tools
- Formation-related services
Caution
High failure rate. Always combine with Active status and relevant SIC codes.
1-3 years: Early survival phase
Characteristics:
- Core operations established
- Revenue may be inconsistent
- Still open to switching providers
Best for
- Growth services
- Marketing tools
- HR and recruitment
- Process and efficiency software
This is a high-value targeting window for many B2B services.
3-10 years: Established businesses
Characteristics:
- Stable operations
- Existing supplier relationships
- More structured decision-making
Best for
- Enterprise software
- Long-term service contracts
- Strategic consulting
Trade-off
Lower response rates, but higher deal values.
10+ years: Mature companies
Characteristics:
- Deeply embedded processes
- Strong supplier loyalty
- Slower to change
Best for
- Specialist or niche offerings
- Compliance-driven services
- Replacement of legacy systems
Often excluded from early-stage sales campaigns.
Why many businesses don't last
UK data consistently shows that a large proportion of companies dissolve within the first few years.
Implications:
- Very young companies are risky but responsive
- Survival beyond 3-5 years often indicates stability
- Age can act as a proxy for resilience, not success
This makes age filtering valuable even before considering financials.
How to use age filters in firmlist
Targeting new companies
Use:
- incorporation date within last X days/months
- company status = Active
- relevant SIC codes
Example:
Active LTD companies incorporated in the last 60 days, SIC 69203 (accountancy), postcode areas M and SK.
Targeting established companies
Use:
- incorporation date older than X years
- combine with industry and location
- optionally exclude very old companies
Example:
Active companies incorporated between 3 and 10 years ago, SIC 62012 (business software), nationwide.
Combining company age with other filters (best practice)
Company age becomes far more powerful when combined with:
- Company type (LTD, LLP, etc.)
- Company status (exclude dissolved/insolvent)
- SIC codes (industry relevance)
- Location (postcode or region)
Avoid using age in isolation.
Common mistakes to avoid
Assuming old companies are "better"
Older does not always mean healthier or more profitable.
Assuming new companies will trade
Many new incorporations never become operational businesses.
Ignoring sector differences
Some industries mature quickly; others take years. Always consider SIC context.
Related guides
- Company Types Explained
- Company Status Explained
- SIC Codes Explained
- Company Numbers & prefixes
- Postcode & location filtering
- Other indicators