Fife scores 973 on the Local Growth Index, placing it 197th of 361 UK local authorities and 27 points below the UK benchmark. Its ESG pillar is the standout, sitting above the UK average, while Investment is the area where Fife trails the benchmark most. Across Scotland, Fife ranks 18th of 32 authorities, scoring 19 points below the Scottish average of 992.
Each score is an average across a place's companies, which means a smaller authority with highly active businesses can score above a much larger one. That averaging is what makes the index a fair comparison between authorities of very different sizes.
The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so Fife's 973 places it a modest distance below the national benchmark. The likely range of 960 to 986 shows how much the score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.
Scotland
Each dot shows the pillar score on a scale where the UK as a whole scores 1,000, marked by the line. The paler band is the likely range. The composite weights Innovation, Scaling and Investment 30% each and ESG 10%.
How Fife's composite score of 973 is built up, pillar by pillar.
Innovation
971
Average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−29 points against the UK · Likely range 950–992 · 30% of the composite
Innovation measures patents, academic spinout status, R&D grant value, presence in innovative sectors and IS-8 sector coverage. Fife scores 971 on this pillar, 29 points below the UK benchmark, ranking 184th of 361 authorities. That places it among the broader middle of the national distribution, with just under half of all authorities scoring lower.
Tagged with any industry or buzzword on a curated list of innovative sectors, for example chips, biotechnology, quantum, AI, data, SaaS, FinTech and CleanTech. About 2.5% of companies.
Tagged with any of the eight IS-8 sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, professional and business services, and defence. About 18% of companies.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Scaling
980
Below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−20 points against the UK · Likely range 960–1,000 · 30% of the composite
Scaling captures whether companies are scaleups, their headcount growth over recent years and accelerator participation. At 980, Fife sits 20 points below the UK average and ranks 250th of 360 authorities, making this its weakest pillar relative to national peers. Only around three in ten authorities score lower, pointing to more modest workforce expansion among Fife's companies.
Annualised three-year employee growth rate over the latest four years of accounts, including group accounts, for companies with five or more employees at the start (capped). All other companies count as zero.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Investment
950
Average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−50 points against the UK · Likely range 927–973 · 30% of the composite
Investment covers equity raisers, the amount of equity raised in the last five years and first-time raisers. Fife's score of 950 is 50 points below the UK benchmark, though its rank of 159th of 360 authorities means it outperforms just over half of all local authorities. The gap suggests companies here raise equity less actively than the UK norm.
Whether the company's first equity deal ever was in the last five years. A first-time raiser always counts as an equity raiser too.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
ESG
1,026
Above average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+26 points against the UK · Likely range 1,007–1,045 · 10% of the composite
ESG measures clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals and a not-for-profit proxy. Fife scores 1,026 here, 26 points above the UK benchmark and ranking 136th of 361 authorities. This is Fife's strongest pillar, with more than six in ten authorities scoring below it, reflecting relatively strong ESG characteristics among local companies.
Is limited by guarantee without share capital, a rough indicator of non-profit status.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Compared to Scotland
The chart below shows how Fife's composite score and pillar scores compare with those of its neighbouring authorities across Scotland.
Fife scores 973 on the Local Growth Index, placing it 197th of 361 UK local authorities and 27 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.
How does Fife compare with the rest of Scotland?
Fife ranks 18th of 32 Scottish authorities and scores 19 points below the Scottish average of 992.
Which pillar is Fife's strongest?
ESG is Fife's strongest pillar, with a score of 1,026, which is 26 points above the UK benchmark and ranks 136th of 361 authorities.
Which pillar is Fife's weakest?
Scaling is Fife's lowest-scoring pillar at 980, ranking 250th of 360 authorities and sitting 20 points below the UK average.
How many companies are counted in Fife's score?
The score covers 11,984 active companies, with corporate groups counted once rather than as separate registered entities.
What does the Local Growth Index actually measure?
It measures the characteristics of a place's business economy across four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG. It is not a measure of economic output or GDP, but of how active and growth-oriented local companies are relative to the UK as a whole.
Explore the data behind the index
Every score on this page is built from real, named company activity, patent filings, fundraisings, spinouts and scaleups. Book a call to see the data behind any authority's score, and how Beauhurst can support your work.
