The UK’s Fastest-Growing Companies in Managed IT Services

Our team rank the UK’s top 10 IT managed service providers, by growth in headcount.

The IT industry has long struggled with a skills shortage, with a UK Government report revealing that nearly 50% of all UK companies have a gap in basic cyber security skills. The result of this is a competitive hiring landscape and IT professionals commanding salaries that many businesses cannot afford, despite the uptick in graduates outlined in the report. 

But as the CrowdStrike incident and the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) cyber attack demonstrate, the latter of which cost the company £2b in damages, companies also cannot afford not to have a functional IT and incident response team. 

This gap between urgent need and prohibitive expense is where the managed IT services industry comes in. For a monthly retainer, MSPs deliver an all-inclusive or àla carte approach to IT provisions, enabling companies from startups to large corporate multinationals to flexibly select the level of support their company requires.

From IT strategy and procurement through to cyber security solutions such as network security (firewalls) and endpoint security (antivirus software), MSPs work with businesses of varying size, facilitating their IT infrastructure without the need for an on-site team.

Overview of the UK managed IT services market

In 2026, the managed IT services industry has so far amassed a total annual revenue of £50.6b in the UK. And as of July 2026, there are 14.6k active companies in the managed IT services industry, 5.3% of which have seen their headcount grow by 50% or more, based on their two latest financial statements.

However, it’s the large MSPs that thrive, with the top 4% of managed IT services companies hoovering up 84% of the total sector revenue — up from 74% since the previous edition of this report was published. Large MSPs are able to scale with fast-growing companies and keep up with their desired level of support, positioning them advantageously for retaining clients. 

Regionally, the top three fastest-growing regions are London (37%), the South East (14%), and East of England (9%).

Ranking the UK’s fastest-growing managed IT services

In this article, we’re looking specifically at the fastest-growing companies operating in the managed IT services industry. 

To determine growth, we’re including companies that have seen a 50% (or greater) growth in headcount between their latest two financial statements.

Finally, only MSPs with 10 or more employees are included. This is to filter out the one-man bands and to ensure that company growth is truly representative. A 500% growth rate might sound impressive, but if it’s from one person to six, that’s less reflective of growth than a company that increases headcount from 10 to 50, or 100 to 500.

The UK’s fastest-growing companies in managed IT services

Now we come to the fastest-growing IT managed service providers, sorted in ascending order by growth in headcount according to their latest financial statements.

How our clients use Beauhurst to find MSPs

Advisory services for MSP funding, mergers, and acquisitions:

Beauhurst provides detailed information on high-growth MSPs, including their financials, funding rounds, and key executives. 

Corporate finance advisors can use this data to offer strategic advice to MSPs looking to secure funding, engage in mergers, or be acquired. 

The platform allows advisors to identify potential investors or acquirers and track the activity of competitors, facilitating well-informed decisions.

Sourcing new deal opportunities:

With Beauhurst, corporate finance advisors can quickly identify MSPs that are in need of capital or are seeking strategic partnerships. 

The platform’s advanced search capabilities enable users to filter companies by criteria such as industry, location, growth stage, financial health, and recent funding activities, making it easier to source high-potential deal opportunities.

Evaluating growth and scalability of MSPs:

Beauhurst tracks key growth indicators such as revenue increases, employee count, and market expansion efforts. 

PE and VC firms can use this data to assess the growth potential and scalability of MSPs before making investment decisions. This ensures that investments are made in MSPs that are well-positioned for future success.

Insights on market trends and competitive landscape:

Beauhurst offers up-to-date insights on market trends within the managed IT services sector, including emerging technologies and shifts in demand. 

PE and VC firms can use this information to understand the competitive landscape, identify industry leaders, and anticipate market movements. This strategic insight helps in making informed investment choices and in guiding portfolio companies.

Identifying investment opportunities:

Beauhurst’s platform is designed to help investors pinpoint high-potential companies that are likely to generate strong returns. 

PE and VC firms can use its search and filtering tools to identify MSPs that fit specific investment criteria, such as those with strong growth trajectories, innovative technologies, or underserved markets. 

This enables investors to capitalise on early-stage opportunities in the MSP sector.

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