Despite a tough trading year, more tax rises and a broad feeling that the government is anti-business, three-quarters of founders are confident that their companies will thrive in 2026.
A survey of 400 small and medium-sized businesses conducted by entrepreneur network Helm found that 75 per cent of leaders are optimistic about growth next year.
Helm members are founders of scale-up firms, those that have moved beyond start-up and are experiencing rapid growth, with average revenues of £21 million per year and a combined revenue of more than £8 billion.
Their businesses collectively contribute £1 billion annually in tax revenues through corporation tax, employer National Insurance contributions, and other business taxes.
Less than one in five, 18 per cent, of Helm members when asked between December 8-9th ‘Are you optimistic about business growth in 2026’ replied ‘No’.
Workers aged over 21 will see an hourly wage rise of 4.1 per cent to £12.77 in April while those between 18 and 20 will get an 8.5 per cent rise to £10.85. This is in addition to rises of 6.7 and 16.3 per cent respectively last year, when there was also an increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions.
Asked ‘Are you planning to make any new hires next year?’ 39 per cent of business owners said they were, exactly one third said they were not – and 28 per cent are waiting to see how the year unfolds.
This compares to 60 per cent of founders who, this time last year, said they would be holding off from hiring more staff because of the rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions.
When asked ‘Will you be making any new business investments in 2026?’ 47 per cent said they would, compared to 34 per cent who said they would not and 19 per cent were undecided.
Andreas Adamides, CEO of Helm, comments: “Our network contributes £1 billion annually in taxes and economic value because these founders understand that resilience isn’t about cutting corners when times get tough. They’re not chasing quarterly headlines – they’re building for decades to come.
“Yes, they’ve been blindsided by rises in national insurance and minimum pay, but they’re still committed to investing in their staff. They’re not giving up on their people, their investors, or their customers.
“This optimism isn’t blind hope – it’s born from knowing that businesses anchored in strong strategy, loyal teams, and customer trust weather storms better than those looking for quick exits.
“Founders don’t fold at the first setback – it’s not in their DNA. They’ve navigated recessions and pivoted through pandemics. They solve problems, adapt strategies, and find ways to protect what they’ve built while still pushing for growth.”
A previous survey of Helm members revealed last month that 64 per cent of founders said the government is ‘anti business’ and 95 per cent said it does not ‘reward hard work’.
As the year ends, 59 per cent reflected that ‘compared with 2024’ it had been better while 35 per cent it had been worse.
Helm was founded in 2003 and is the leading membership community for scale-up founders and CEOs in the UK.