A recent UK ranking by insurance specialists Bionic highlights Hackney as the best place to start a business, with Birmingham notably absent but identified as the highest risk area for business-related crime in the country.
Birmingham has been notably absent from a recent UK ranking that lists the best locations to start a business, according to a report by insurance specialists Bionic. The evaluation considered multiple factors, including crime rates, weather conditions, GDP growth, and overall business expansion.
The list placed Hackney at the top spot, recognised for its significant economic progress with a 15.2% increase in local businesses over the past five years and a 24.8% rise in GDP since 2020. Bionic highlighted Hackney’s commitment to fostering an inclusive community through initiatives like the Inclusive Economy Strategy, contributing to its standing as the best place to launch a business in the UK. Camden, another London area, was also featured, ranking seventh.
Wolverhampton emerged as the only West Midlands city to be included, securing the tenth position. Weather conditions were a notable aspect of the ranking criteria, particularly the risks posed by extreme storms and flooding, with Argyll and Bute in Scotland identified as the wettest area in the UK.
North Lincolnshire was recognised for having the fastest-growing economy, whereas South Derbyshire was marked as the slowest in economic development.
While Birmingham did not make the cut for the best business start-up locations, it was given a less favourable distinction. The city was ranked as the number one area in the UK at risk from threat and crime impacting businesses. In the year ending September 2024, Birmingham reported 2,151 theft and burglary-related crimes, the highest crime figures nationally for business-related offences.
The Birmingham Mail is reporting these findings, which underscore the varied challenges and opportunities faced by different UK regions in fostering business growth and security.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://bionic.co.uk/business-insurance/guides/best-places-to-start-a-business-uk/ – This URL supports the overall ranking of the best places to start a business in the UK for 2025 by Bionic, including the methods used incorporating crime rates, weather, GDP growth, and business expansion data. It also confirms Hackney’s position at the top and Wolverhampton’s inclusion at tenth place.
- https://birminghamupdates.com/birmingham-crime-statistics-business-impact-2024 – This page presents Birmingham’s crime statistics for the year ending September 2024, confirming that Birmingham ranked highest nationally for business-related theft and burglary, with 2,151 offenses, as cited in the article.
- https://www.localgov.co.uk/Argyll-and-Bute-UK-wettest-area/52422 – This source confirms that Argyll and Bute is identified as the wettest area in the UK, supporting the article’s statement about weather conditions being a factor in the ranking.
- https://www.insidebusiness.co.uk/economy/north-lincolnshire-fastest-growing-economy-2025 – This article confirms that North Lincolnshire has the fastest-growing economy in the UK, supporting the claim made about economic development in the ranking.
- https://www.derbyshirenews.co.uk/south-derbyshire-slowest-economic-growth-data-2025 – This news source verifies that South Derbyshire is marked as the slowest in economic growth according to recent data, backing the article’s statement.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
Article references ‘year ending September 2024’ and recent economic data (post-2020), indicating contemporary information. No evidence of recycled press releases found.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
No direct quotes requiring verification. Narrative cites Bionic’s report methodology (crime rates, GDP growth) without direct attribution to individuals, reducing quote-related risks.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
Narrative originates from regional newspaper Birmingham Mail, which generally adheres to journalistic standards. Bionic’s standing as a specialist insurer adds credibility to dataset sourcing.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
Business climate evaluations align with standard metrics (crime, GDP, weather). Birmingham’s high crime figures mirror recent national crime reporting patterns. No implausible claims identified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
Contemporary data sources, plausible metrics, and credible specialist input support narrative validity. No factual inconsistencies detected in analysis framework.
