Almost three quarters of UK business owners believe crime against businesses is getting worse, according to a new survey of 500 owners by Capital on Tap.
The research, combined with Freedom of Information responses from police forces across England covering 2025 data, found that 45% of UK business owners have experienced physical crime.
Among those affected, theft is the most common offence. 59% reported incidents involving shoplifting, burglary, or stolen stock, while 52% had experienced attempted break ins. Property damage affected 51%, followed by vandalism at 50%, and robbery at 31%.
Retail businesses face highest theft risk
Retail businesses have the greatest exposure to theft. Among retailers that have experienced crime, 94% report shoplifting, burglary, or stock theft.
Engineering, construction, and manufacturing businesses have the second highest theft rate at 83%. Attempted break ins are particularly common in transportation, with 60% of businesses in the sector reporting such incidents. Accountancy and finance records the highest overall rate at 71%.
Geography also plays a significant role. Cambridgeshire records the highest business crime rate among the police force areas analysed, with 19,918 business crimes, equivalent to 2,804 offences per 100,000 residents.
Nottinghamshire follows with 2,403 offences per 100,000 residents, followed by Bedfordshire at 2,171, Lincolnshire at 1,966, and Dorset at 1,816. Hertfordshire, South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, North Yorkshire, and Staffordshire complete the top 10.
Crime creates significant financial losses
The average financial impact of crime across surveyed businesses is £2,886, with almost half reporting losses of more than £2,000. Costs vary significantly by sector.
Average cost of crime by industry
- Transportation: £3,500
- Retail and sales: £3,467
- Accountancy and finance: £3,214
- Engineering, construction, and manufacturing: £3,042
- Hospitality, leisure, and sport: £2,783
- Education: £1,988
- Business and administration: £1,767
- Health and social care: £1,450
Businesses take an average of 18.2 days to recover from a crime incident. Health and social care organisations have the longest recovery period at 39 days, followed by engineering, construction, and manufacturing at 32.2 days, accountancy and finance at 27.4 days, and retail at 25 days.
Businesses increase security spending
Almost half of businesses say they are fully protected by insurance. CCTV installation or upgrades are the most common security investment, with 64% of owners spending money on them because of concerns about crime.
Alarms, shutters or other physical security improvements, and staff training and awareness each account for 45% of investments. Other measures include cybersecurity software or infrastructure at 28%, increased insurance premiums at 26%, enhanced lighting at 25%, hiring security staff or patrols at 24%, and operational changes at 18%.
Retail businesses report the highest levels of security investment, with more than three quarters installing CCTV. Education and hospitality businesses also show high adoption rates.
7 in 10 business owners worry about becoming victims of crime, while 61% of SMEs are concerned that their own business could be targeted.
Cybercrime and fraud add to business risks
More than 1 in 4 UK businesses, or 28%, have experienced a cybersecurity incident. The education sector is the hardest hit, followed by accountancy and finance, and engineering, construction, and manufacturing.
1 in 5 businesses, or 21%, say they have experienced fraud or a scam.
The UK Government warned in April about growing risks from newer AI models capable of identifying software weaknesses and carrying out multi stage attacks at greater speed and scale.
Rebecca Alford, Chief Financial Officer at Capital on Tap, said: “While no business can eliminate the risk of crime entirely, taking steps to prepare financially can make it much easier to recover when the unexpected happens. Building resilience isn’t just about investing in security; it’s about ensuring your business has the resources to respond quickly without placing unnecessary strain on day to day operations.”
Alford outlines four practical steps businesses can take
- Review insurance cover regularly: Ensure it reflects the current value of stock, equipment, and premises, and check whether it includes business interruption cover.
- Build an emergency cash reserve: To cover immediate costs following an incident.
- Invest in preventative security: Such as CCTV, alarms, reinforced shutters, and staff training.
- Maintain access to flexible funding: Cover urgent repairs or replacements without putting pressure on day to day cash flow.
The findings highlight the pressure facing SMEs operating on tight margins, where even a single incident can disrupt operations and delay planned investment.