UK Start‑Ups & Microbot‑Boys Spend More Time on Paperwork Than Work
New research from Beasy reveals that the average start‑up founder in the UK juggles 5.5 hours a week of admin tasks—from picking phone contracts to buying insurance. That adds up to two full working weeks every year, or £7,106 of lost revenue per business and a staggering £37 bn hurt to the UK’s GDP.
Why It’s Sitting in a Pen & Paper
- 26 % still keep vital records on paper—yes, actual pens and paper.
- 68 % rely on spreadsheets, just for good measure.
- Even though cloud tech is everywhere, most UK founders are stuck in the old‑school bureaucracy.
Arif Miah, Beasy’s co‑founder, says it’s “a fundamental barrier that’s stunting the progress of the UK’s most ambitious founders.” He’s not alone: Ala Uddin adds that “startup admin needs to be simplified, so anyone can start and grow a business without drowning in bureaucracy.
Service Costs: The Field of ‘Too Expensive’
- 88 % use essential services (banking, phone contracts, comms tools).
- Those who skip it say 44 % consider those services “too expensive” and a “luxury” at early stages.
- Half of the users who do pay think they overpay for energy, insurance, and other services.
- Over a third feel that providers do not have their best interests at heart. 1 in 5 says they get no value for money.
Time‑Management vs. Time‑Wasting
- For more than a third (37 %) of founders, the biggest hurdle is simply finding time or knowing where to start.
- A third rely on Google searches for the best options; this leads 27 % to acquire the wrong tools and services.
Arif’s dream? “Getting this right will unlock one of Britain’s most valuable assets—our ingenuity and determination. That’s how the next generation of start‑ups will thrive.”
Why Should You Care?
Spend less time on clunky admin and more time on the fun, creative part of business. Because, let’s face it, even the best entrepreneurs deserve a break from paperwork.
