The Average Cost of Running a Small Business - Smarter Business (2024)

What is the average cost of running a small business?

Research from Lloyds Bank has shown that the average cost of starting a small business (excluding home-based businesses) is £12,000.

Expense% total costAverage cost (£)
Property25%£3,000
Transport20%£2,400
IT20%£2,400
Other35%£4,200

The average cost of running a small business: expenses to consider

Whether you plan on starting a new business or want to benchmark the running costs of an existing organisation, having an idea of the average cost of running a small business is a fundamental stepping stone to SME success.

Of course, there is a lot of speculation involved as to how much it costs to start and run a business, and there are a number of varying factors according to business type and size. Putting a general ballpark figure to these costs can be problematic, which is why it’s important to do your research and due diligence to create a budget and cost analysis to manage your business finances.

In this article, we’ll highlight a few key areas of expenditure and the average cost of running a small business to help with your planning.

Your business plan and budget should take all feasible expenses into account. Again, your business will have its own specific list of expenses, but here are some common business expenses to get you started:

  • Physical premises: offices, shop premises
  • Utilities: gas, electricity, water, waste.
  • Technology-related expenses: infrastructure, equipment, website hosting, email hosting, and more
  • Vehicle cost: purchase, repayments, taxes, insurance
  • Industry/sector specific legal documentation: licenses, permits etc.
  • Equipment: purchase, lease, upgrades
  • Stock: purchase, delivery, storage
  • Business insurance and taxes
  • Employees: wages, benefits
  • Professional services: lawyers, accountants, brokers etc.
  • Office supplies: furniture, stationery
  • Marketing: branding, website development, advertising
  • Remember to also account for unexpected costs and financial emergencies

‘Hidden’ costs when working out the average cost of running a small business

When working out your budget, don’t forget to include the following less obvious expenses:

  • Underused or unused equipment – for example, how much insurance are you still paying on the old laptop lying in the storeroom?
  • Upgrades, repairs, services and maintenance
  • Shrinkage – goods lost through error, theft, fraud and damage
  • Payment delays and debts
  • Bank and vendor fees
  • Your time – what are your daily operations costing you, and are you focusing your efforts efficiently?

Average start-up costs for small businesses

Research from Lloyds Bank has shown that the average cost of starting a small business (excluding home-based businesses) is £12,000.

The average costs of starting a business are as follows:

  • Property accounts for 25% of start-up costs (the largest share), averaging about £2,987
  • Transport accounts for 20% – £2,440
  • IT accounts for 20% – £2,426

Other stats from the research revealed that:

  • 32% of new business owners say that they found the costs of starting to be higher than expected
  • Female business owners spend an average of 59% less than their male counterparts on starting a business

The key to answering the question of the average cost of running a small business lies in comprehensive cost reporting over time. You can use these figures to gain an accurate understanding of your typical business expenses to help you forecast accurately into the future.

Reduce the average cost of running a small business with better energy management

Taking simple steps to save on your energy bill can help bring down the average cost of running a small business. Switching energy suppliers and moving on to a cheaper tariff can mean significant savings.

Your small business may also be eligible to save on VAT on energy.

Contact the energy experts from Smarter Business for with a no-obligation quote on your business energy – without charging a fee! Let’s see how much you can save…

The Average Cost of Running a Small Business - Smarter Business (2024)

FAQs

What are the running costs of a small business? ›

Operating costs in business are expenses a corporation incurs as a result of its everyday operations, supplies and other required components. These are a company's most fundamental expenses and they serve as the foundation for its entire expense sheet and accounting.

What is the cost of running a business called? ›

Overhead costs, often referred to as overhead or operating expenses, refer to those expenses associated with running a business that can't be linked to creating or producing a product or service. They are the expenses the business incurs to stay in business, regardless of its success level.

What is the meaning of running cost? ›

running cost. noun [ C, usually plural ] us. the money you need to spend regularly to keep a system or organization working: With lower running costs many companies have healthy balance sheets.

What are examples of start up costs? ›

What are examples of startup costs? Examples of startup costs include licensing and permits, insurance, office supplies, payroll, marketing costs, research expenses, and utilities.

What is the average profit for a small business? ›

But in general, a healthy profit margin for a small business tends to range anywhere between 7% to 10%. Keep in mind, though, that certain businesses may see lower margins, such as retail or food-related companies. That's because they tend to have higher overhead costs.

What are the biggest costs to a small business? ›

Top 7 Small Business Expenses and How to Reduce Them
  • Labor. Hands down, labor is the most expensive cost you'll shoulder. ...
  • Business vehicles. Business vehicles cost a lot of money, as fuel, insurance, repairs and downtime all add up quickly. ...
  • Supplies. ...
  • Rent or mortgage costs. ...
  • Utilities. ...
  • Insurance. ...
  • Taxes.

What are the 3 types of cost in business? ›

These expenses include:
  • Variable costs: This type of expense is one that varies depending on the company's needs and usage during the production process. ...
  • Fixed costs: Fixed costs are expenses that don't change despite the level of production. ...
  • Direct costs: These costs are directly related to manufacturing a product.
13 Jan 2021

What is the real cost of a business? ›

The cost of producing a good or service, including the cost of all resources used and the cost of not employing those resources in alternative uses.

What is cost in business example? ›

Cost in a business firm is an expense that the business takes on in an effort to sell a product or service. These costs include things like rent for a retail space, investments in replenishing inventory, and wages paid to employees.

What is daily running cost? ›

The running costs of a business are the amount of money that is regularly spent on things such as salaries, heating, lighting, and rent.

How do you do cost running? ›

Procedure
  1. Choose Accounting Controlling Product Cost Controlling Product Cost Planning Material Costing Costing Run Edit Costing Run. ...
  2. Choose Costing Run Create. ...
  3. Enter the following data: ...
  4. Enter the following data on the Costing data tab: ...
  5. Press ENTER.

What to include in running costs? ›

The day-to-day costs of actually using the car. This includes petrol and servicing.

What are the types of costs in business? ›

There are two kinds of costs, fixed and variable. Fixed and variable costs impact the business in different ways but both are important in making the business profitable.

How to write a good business plan? ›

Traditional business plan format
  1. Executive summary. Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be successful. ...
  2. Company description. ...
  3. Market analysis. ...
  4. Organization and management. ...
  5. Service or product line. ...
  6. Marketing and sales. ...
  7. Funding request. ...
  8. Financial projections.

How much profit is a good business? ›

As a general rule of thumb, a 10% net profit margin is deemed average, while a 20% margin is deemed high and 5% low. If you want to compare your company's performance based on profit and merchandise margins, check out the average profit margin for your industry.

Do small businesses make a lot of money? ›

Small businesses with no employees bring in an average revenue of $46,978. The typical small business owner makes just over $70,000 a year. 86% of small business owners make less than $100,000 a year. Self-employed small business owners make a median income of $50,000.

How much should a small business spend on expenses? ›

The Profit First system highlights that business expenses should be no more than 30% of total revenue. He suggests that this strategy will ensure profitability and if there isn't enough leftover after profit and compensation to cover expenses, then expenses should be cut.

What is small expenses? ›

petty expenses in British English

(ˈpɛtɪ ɪkˈspɛnsɪz ) plural noun. small expenses incurred in the course of your work or studies.

What are the 4 factors of cost? ›

Factor costs include all the costs of the factors of production to produce a given product in an economy. It includes the costs of land, labor, capital and raw material, transportation etc. They are used to produce a given quantity of output in an economy.

What is the best costing method? ›

FIFO costing is the most accurate and one of the most widely used and accepted methods for costing.

What are the 4 types of cost? ›

Costs are broadly classified into four types: fixed cost, variable cost, direct cost, and indirect cost.

Why is cost important to a business? ›

Understanding your costs is vital for informed business decisions. It helps you determine the profitability of your operations and how to set prices. But proper costing is complex, and many businesses aren't doing a good job.

What is cost in simple words? ›

Cost denotes the amount of money that a company spends on the creation or production of goods or services. It does not include the markup for profit. From a seller's point of view, cost is the amount of money that is spent to produce a good or product.

What are the 5 types of cost? ›

The 5 costs they cover are:
  • Direct cost.
  • Indirect cost.
  • Fixed cost.
  • Variable cost.
  • Sunk cost.

What are the types of costs? ›

  • Direct Costs.
  • Indirect Costs.
  • Fixed Costs.
  • Variable Costs.
  • Operating Costs.
  • Opportunity Costs.
  • Sunk Costs.
  • Controllable Costs.

What is a word for cost? ›

OTHER WORDS FOR cost

1 charge, expense, expenditure, outlay.

What are examples of operating costs? ›

10 examples of operating costs
  • Salary and benefits. ...
  • Rent or property purchase costs. ...
  • Advertising and marketing fees. ...
  • Licensing fees. ...
  • Property taxes. ...
  • Utility costs. ...
  • Vehicle maintenance. ...
  • Direct materials costs.

How much does it cost to run to maintain? ›

Maintaining Running Fitness for Health

in mind. The following amounts of exercise, per week, are recommended as a baseline for optimal health: 150 minutes to 5 hours per week of moderate, cardiovascular physical activity , *OR* 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous cardiovascular physical activity, *AND*

What costs the most to run? ›

  1. Tumble dryer. If you have a large household, laundry is likely to be a time-consuming task that tumble dryers can speed up considerably, but they are also one of the biggest energy-sapping appliances in our homes. ...
  2. Oven. ...
  3. Dishwasher. ...
  4. Washing machine. ...
  5. Fridges and Fridge freezers. ...
  6. Kettle. ...
  7. Television. ...
  8. Hair dryer.
30 Sept 2022

What is Long Run Average Cost? ›

What Is Long-Run Average Total Cost (LRATC)? Long-run average total cost (LRATC) is a business metric that represents the average cost per unit of output over the long run, where all inputs are considered to be variable and the scale of production is changeable.

How much does it cost to run an or per minute? ›

The cost of 1 minute of OR time is often used with little regard to how the value was calculated. This study of California hospital financial statements found the mean cost of OR time is $36 to $37 per minute, with minimal variation by setting or institutional characteristic.

What is a good running plan? ›

If you're training for a 5k, start with a solid warm-up and then run for 10-20 minutes, depending on your fitness level. For example, if you're just starting out, jog for 30 seconds and take a walk break for 30 seconds for 10 minutes. If you're more experienced, you can run for 15-20 minutes.

What is the simplest way to budget? ›

The 50/30/20 rule is an easy budgeting method that can help you to manage your money effectively, simply and sustainably. The basic rule of thumb is to divide your monthly after-tax income into three spending categories: 50% for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings or paying off debt.

What is the importance of cost? ›

Costing is important to ensure that all expenses are covered and the group fixes a price that ensures a profit. The first and most important step is to identify ALL the costs of a business: production, sales, administrative, overheads, etc. The next step is to classify costs into fixed and variable costs.

What are the three types of average cost? ›

In this article we are going to discuss four types of average costs:
  • Average Fixed Cost.
  • Average Variable cost.
  • Short run Average costs.
  • Long run Average costs.
18 Oct 2022

What are five costs related to business? ›

5 Essential Business Costs Not to Skimp On
  • Hiring Talent. It is important to look for employees with different skills to yours that complement your own, while driving the business forward. ...
  • Marketing. ...
  • Technology. ...
  • Accounting. ...
  • Insurance.
3 Apr 2018

How do you write a business plan in 7 Simple Steps? ›

How to Write a Business Plan, Step by Step
  1. Write an executive summary.
  2. Describe your company.
  3. State your business goals.
  4. Describe your products and services.
  5. Do your market research.
  6. Outline your marketing and sales plan.
  7. Perform a business financial analysis.
  8. Make financial projections.
26 Jul 2022

What is business plan in your own words? ›

A business plan is a written outline of every aspect of your business with a focus on your business model and economic viability. Among other things, a business plan includes a statement of the purpose of your business, an analysis of your business model, and a description of your competition.

What do running costs include? ›

Running costs include fuel, car tax, car insurance costs, car serviced, breakdown cover, depreciation and unexpected costs. Buying a car and running it can be broken into two main parts: 1. Upfront costs to get you on the road.

What are examples of costs to a business? ›

Examples of fixed business costs
  • Professional fees.
  • Insurance.
  • Premises costs.
  • Staffing and employment.
  • Equipment and supplies.
  • Stock.
  • Sales and marketing.
  • Finance.

What are examples of short-run costs? ›

Figure 1.
  • Raw materials prices for raw materials.
  • Rent for land or buildings.
  • Wages and salaries for labor.
  • Interest and dividends for the use of financial capital (loans and equity investments)
  • Profit for entrepreneurship. Profit is the residual, what's left over from revenues after the firm pays all the other costs.

How do you calculate running cost? ›

List of contents
  1. Convert Watts to kW.
  2. Multiply by hours in use.
  3. Multiply by pence per kWh.
  4. Multiply the number of days.
  5. Create a more realistic figure.
25 Nov 2016

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