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Taxi or private hire companies in the Southampton area

304 taxi or private hire companies have a registered office in the Southampton area (SO postcodes), and 90 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £3,280 in cash and owed £4,338 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Taxi operation” (SIC 49320). Covers companies with a registered office in SO postcodes, including Southampton, Winchester, Eastleigh.

The numbers

Taxi or private hire companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureSouthamptonUK
Registered companies30420,081
Formed in 2025 or 202690 (30%)31%
Being struck off or in liquidation28 (9.2%)11%
Typical cash at year end£3,28065 accounts£4,852
Typical amount owed at year end£4,338142 accounts£9,535
Typical number of employees1141 accounts1

What this means if you’re starting one

Most of your competition will be other newcomers

30% of the 304 taxi or private hire companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 17% of all companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes). Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 89% of UK industries.

New rivals are arriving faster than in most trades, so your customers already have fresh options. Being new is not a difference on its own.

the Southampton area (SO postcodes) already has more of these businesses than most places

Taxi or private hire companies are 0.63% of companies registered in the Southampton area (SO postcodes), against 0.37% UK-wide (1.7× the national share).

Demand here is proven, but so is choice. Customers can compare you with several nearby options.

Most of these businesses are run by one or two people

The typical taxi or private hire company in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 2 or more (141 filings).

You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.

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What these figures can’t tell you

Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.

Taxi or private hire in other places

Other businesses in Southampton

All business benchmarks in Southampton