The ONS counted 43,919 road haulage businesses registered for VAT or PAYE in 2024, with turnover of £37.2bn, and 31,012 courier and parcel businesses. For couriers the ONS does not publish staff costs, so the comparison below is limited to what is available.
| 2024 | Road haulage | Courier and parcel delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses (VAT or PAYE registered) | 43,919 | 31,012 |
| Total turnover | £37.2bn | £16.2bn |
| Average turnover per business | £847,000 | £522,000 |
| Staff costs, % of turnover | 25.4% | not published |
| Bought-in goods and services, % of turnover | 52.9% | 57.9% |
| Left after staff and bought-in costs, % of turnover | 21.6% | not published |
Source: ONS Annual Business Survey, 2024 results (published 26 May 2026). It covers businesses registered for VAT or PAYE, so the smallest sole traders are not included. Averages are pulled up by the largest firms. For sole traders and partnerships, the owners’ own pay is not in staff costs: it comes out of what is left.
In haulage, bought-in costs, which include fuel, tyres, maintenance and subcontracted loads, take about £53 of every £100. Many courier firms use self-employed drivers, whose pay counts as a bought-in service rather than a staff cost.
Road haulage: turnover rose 14% between 2019 and 2024, against a 24% rise in consumer prices, so it fell behind inflation. The number of businesses fell 25%. Staff costs went from 22.8% to 25.4% of turnover, and what was left after staff and bought-in costs went from 19.8% to 21.6%.
The fall in the number of haulage businesses stands out: there were far fewer in 2024 than in 2019, while turnover grew more slowly than prices.
The calculator uses the road haulage figures, because the ONS does not publish staff costs for couriers.
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