Design Economy UK: New Report Highlights Design's Growing Impact on the Economy

A new edition of Design Council UK’s flagship report, Design Economy 2026 Report, highlights the growing contribution of design to the UK’s economy, workforce and innovation ecosystem. As the UK’s most comprehensive assessment of the economic, social and environmental value of design, the report provides compelling evidence that design is not only a creative discipline but a strategic capability that drives growth across sectors and regions.

Key findings from the UK Design Economy 2026 report

Design is a major and rapidly growing economic force. In 2023, the UK’s design economy generated £136.7 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA), a 40% increase since 2019, growing almost twice as fast as the wider UK economy. Design now contributes 5.5% of total UK GVA, underlining its importance as a driver of innovation, productivity and economic growth.

Design creates value far beyond the design sector itself. The report shows that 80% of designers work in non-design industries, contributing £90.6 billion in GVA. From healthcare and manufacturing to finance, education and public services, designers are helping organisations innovate, improve services and navigate digital and societal transformation.

Demand for design skills continues to rise. The UK design economy employed 2.27 million people in 2025, an increase of 15% since 2020, adding nearly 300,000 jobs. Growth has been particularly strong in digital design and in organisations hiring designers in-house, reflecting the increasing recognition of design as a strategic capability across the economy.

For the European design community, the report offers valuable evidence for ongoing policy discussions around competitiveness, innovation and investment in design. The findings align closely with BEDA’s long-standing position that design should be recognised not only as part of the cultural and creative sectors, but also as a critical enabler of innovation, sustainability and economic resilience across industries.

Read the full report on the Design Council website: www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/design-economy/#c10802