Federation of Small Business

What Federation of Small Business does

The Federation of Small Business (FSB), legally registered as National Federation of Self Employed & Small Businesses Limited, is a UK non-profit membership organisation founded in 1974 and headquartered in Blackpool. It represents approximately 200,000 member businesses (with a broader advocacy reach claimed at 5.5 million small businesses and self-employed individuals) through tiered annual subscriptions priced from £195 (sole trader) to £1,295 (101+ employees). The membership is bundled with a comprehensive service platform including a 1,500+ legal document library, a 24/7 UK-based legal advice line, up to £100,000 in tax investigation and employment tribunal insurance, debt recovery support, 750+ CPD-certified training courses, healthcare benefits, an award-winning insurance broking service, and partnered business banking with Allica Bank and The Co-operative Bank.

FSB's technology stack is operational rather than product-centric: Salesforce CRM is used by self-employed Membership Advisors for pipeline management, Okta provides single sign-on across member-facing portals, Cloudflare fronts web performance and security, and DotDigital powers email marketing automation, while Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics, and Adalyser provide behavioural and advertising analytics. The organisation distributes services through a hybrid sales motion combining employed Regional Business Managers and self-employed commission-only Membership Advisors, complemented by self-serve online acquisition, phone-based sales (0808 20 20 888), and a network of regional offices across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and eight English regions alongside a Westminster press office.

FSB generates revenue primarily through recurring annual membership subscriptions, with additional income from four wholly-owned trading subsidiaries (FSB Member Services Limited, FSB Publications Limited, FSB Recruitment Limited, and FSB HR Services Limited). Its go-to-market blends direct-to-consumer online sign-up, field sales prospecting by territory-based advisors, and community-led organic growth through member referrals and Trustpilot reviews. Beyond commercial services, FSB functions as the UK's leading small business advocacy body, conducting research through its Small Business Index and Big Voice member community, and engaging policymakers across Westminster, Holyrood, the Senedd, and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Name

Federation of Small Business

Legal name

National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses Limited

Website

https://fsb.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Federation of Small Business (FSB) is a UK non-profit membership organisation founded in 1974 that serves approximately 200,000 small businesses and self-employed individuals with tiered annual subscriptions, bundled legal/insurance/HR services, and policy advocacy across all four UK nations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blackpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: FSB generates primary revenue through annual membership subscriptions priced by business size (number of employees). Membership tiers range from £195/year for sole traders (0 employees) to £1,295/year for businesses with 101+ employees. Additional Associate membership is available at £97.50/year for additional directors/partners in the same business. Membership includes access to member benefits, discounts, and advocacy services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

FSB sells annual small business memberships (priced £195–£1,295/year by employee count) that bundle a portfolio of services including legal document templates, 24/7 legal advice, tax investigation and employment tribunal insurance, debt recovery, training courses, healthcare, business banking partnerships, and access to policy advocacy. The organization also publishes research such as the Small Business Index and Big Voice, and operates partner-branded financial products (insurance broking, banking, funding, payments) marketed under the FSB umbrella.

Product overview

The Federation of Small Business operates as a membership-based organization offering a comprehensive platform of business support services for small businesses and self-employed individuals across the UK. The core FSB Membership serves as the umbrella product, providing access to tiered benefit packages based on business size. The offering integrates multiple service modules including the Legal and Business Hub (1,500+ legal documents), Legal Advice Line (24/7), Tax Investigation Protection, Employment Tribunal Insurance, Debt Recovery Service, FSB Training (750+ courses), Healthcare Benefits, Insurance Services, Making Tax Digital compliance tools, Business Banking Services, Payroll and Pensions support, Funding Platform, PR and Crisis Management, Health and Safety Services, and Payments processing via Tyl by NatWest. The organization also produces research products including the Small Business Index, Big Voice survey platform, and Policy Reports. A notable addition is the AI for Small Businesses Hub developed in partnership with Microsoft, providing AI adoption resources. The platform's architecture combines advocacy services, local networking, and member-only discounts with digital tools and expert advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FSB Membership Core membership product for UK small businesses and self-employed individuals, tiered by employee count. Provides access to advisory services, legal document libraries, 24/7 legal advice, insurance, training, healthcare, banking partner benefits, and representation in government policy.
• FSB Insurance Service Award-winning general insurance broking service providing tailored cover, discounts, and a dedicated insurance advice line for FSB members.
• FSB Business Banking Services Negotiated business banking products offered through Allica Bank and Co-operative Bank partnerships, with exclusive member benefits such as cashback on card spend, savings bonuses, dedicated relationship management, and free integration with Sage, QuickBooks, and Xero.
• FSB Funding Platform All-in-one funding platform provided by Capitalise, allowing members to apply for funding, review financial health, and check company credit scores.
• FSB Payments (Tyl by NatWest) Card payment processing service for in-person, over-the-phone, or online transactions, provided through Tyl by NatWest at member rates.
• FSB Small Business Index (SBI) Quarterly research report providing insights into UK small business confidence, financial position, and economic outlook, used as a leading economic indicator and to support policy advocacy.
• FSB Big Voice Digital research community enabling FSB members to participate in regular surveys that shape insights influencing policy decisions affecting small businesses.
• FSB Policy Reports Library of FSB policy reports covering energy, innovation, skills, trade, tax, regulation, employment and related topics, providing research findings and recommendations for UK Government.
• AI for Small Businesses Hub Content hub developed with Microsoft providing practical AI tips, tools, and resources to help small businesses understand and adopt AI technologies.
• FSB Training Online training platform offering more than 750 CPD-certified courses with exclusive member discounts, used to upskill small business owners and their teams.
• Legal and Business Hub Online library of more than 1,500 legal documents, templates, policies, and guides covering commercial law, tax, employment and cyber security, checked by qualified solicitors and business experts.
• FSB Legal Advice Line 24/7 access to qualified UK-based lawyers and employment solicitors for advice on legal compliance, HR, health and safety, tax, crisis management, and business insurance matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• £10,500 Employment Allowance tax relief secured for small employers (more than double the previous allowance), worth £7.7bn annually to small firms
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ChargeUKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026ChargeUK welcomed the UK Government's 43% increase to EV charging grants for homes and workplaces alongside FSB, indicating industry alignment on supporting small business EV adoption.
• Department for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022FSB was commissioned by the Department for Education in September 2022 to lead the development of Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) across three areas: Cornwall, East Midlands, and Greater Lincolnshire. The initiative bridges the gap between skills employers need and workforce availability.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSB partnered with Microsoft to create an AI content hub for small businesses, providing practical tips, tools, and resources to help SMEs understand and adopt AI technology. The partnership addresses FSB's finding that 92% of small businesses have concerns about AI-related risks.
• Cornwall CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSB's LSIP partnership with Cornwall Council supports businesses in towns like Truro, Falmouth, St Austell, and Penzance, aligning skills and training with local needs to drive growth.
• East Midlands Combined County AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSB's LSIP partnership with the East Midlands Combined County Authority aligns skills provision with employer needs to help drive growth and opportunity throughout the East Midlands region.
• Greater Lincolnshire Combined County AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSB's LSIP focuses on towns like Lincoln, Grimsby, and Scunthorpe, ensuring training meets business demand and supports economic development across Greater Lincolnshire. FSB has also partnered with GLCCA on a Local Skills Improvement Plan consultation.
• University of York's Enterprise WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with University of York's Enterprise Works on women entrepreneurs in York and North Yorkshire, revealing 23,000 fewer self-employed women than men and a £62,000 investment gap for female-led organizations.
• Greater Lincolnshire Combined County AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGLCCA partnered with FSB to launch a Local Skills Improvement Plan consultation aimed at shaping post-16 education and training across Greater Lincolnshire's 41,000 businesses and 550,000-strong workforce.
• British Standards Institution (BSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSB partnered with BSI to help small businesses understand and benefit from standards, including a guide on standards for small businesses, cyber security guidance, and sustainability resources.
• Gatsby FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSB partnered with Gatsby Foundation alongside other business organizations to help small businesses navigate the education and skills landscape, producing an employer's guide and index.
• ukactiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSB partnered with ukactive to provide small business employers with practical guidance on workplace physical activity through a free downloadable guide.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFSB partnered with Google to offer free, tailored 1-to-1 mentoring from Google for UK small businesses and charities as part of Google Mentoring in association with FSB.
• Allica BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFSB has partnered with Allica Bank to offer FSB Business Banking with exclusive benefits including up to 1.5% cashback on eligible card spend, 0.25% Savings Pot Bonus Boost for FSB members, dedicated relationship manager, and no monthly fees.
• The Co-operative BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFSB has partnered with The Co-operative Bank for ethical business banking, offering free everyday banking, no arrangement fees on overdrafts, and free integration with accounting software.
• Tyl by NatWestminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFSB members can access Tyl by NatWest for in-person, over-the-phone, or online card payments with fast, secure payment processing for customers.
• CapitaliseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFSB's Funding Platform, provided by Capitalise, offers an all-in-one funding platform for small businesses to apply for funding, review financial health, and check company credit scores.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationSelf-employed FSB Membership Advisors use Salesforce CRM to manage their sales pipeline, track prospects, and achieve quarterly sales targets. FSB uses Okta for identity management.
• TrustpilotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFSB uses Trustpilot's review platform and encourages members to leave reviews about their FSB experience. Trustpilot cookies help ensure users' review preferences are applied.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Confederation of British Industry (CBI): UK's largest broad-based business membership organization representing employers across all sizes. Overlaps with FSB on SME advocacy and government engagement, though its remit spans large corporates and SMEs rather than specialising in small business.
• UK Finance: Trade association for the UK banking and financial services industry. Relevant comparator on the financial-services advocacy and policy side, and useful proxy for evaluating FSB's financial-influencer reach.

Direct peers

• Institute of Directors (IoD): UK membership organization for company directors offering training, policy voice, and member services. Comparable subscription tiers, professional-development content, and advocacy footprint — although IoD focuses on senior directors rather than micro-businesses.
• British Chambers of Commerce: UK-wide network of accredited chambers representing and supporting businesses, including SMEs. Closest direct peer to FSB — comparable membership-led advocacy model, local presence, and bundled services offering.
• Make UK: UK membership body for manufacturers (formerly EEF). Comparable subscription model, advocacy focus, training courses, and member benefits — sector-specific rather than cross-sector like FSB but materially similar in operating mechanics.

Regional players

• National Farmers' Union (NFU): Largest UK farming membership body offering advocacy, legal advice, and member benefits. Materially comparable operating model despite sector focus — useful benchmark for membership-driven trade body economics.
• National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): Largest US small-business membership association — same fundamental model of aggregating small employer voices for policy influence and offering bundled services. Not UK-based but the most direct structural analogue globally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fsb_policy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/federation-of-small-businesses
• Facebookfacebook.com/federationofsmallbusinesses

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Federation of Small Business