We are pleased to announce the launch of the revision of UK Standard Industrial Classification (UK SIC). This is in line with the results of the Public consultation on UK SIC alignment.
We invite all users, producers, and interested parties to contribute to the revision of the current SIC 2007 to create the new SIC 2026 framework. The project is governed by a cross-government Steering Group, including Statistical Heads of Profession (HoPs) from the UK Government Statistical Service (GSS).
We are sharing the Proposed SIC framework (XLSX, 330KB) for you to review and comment on. It is a starter guide showing how UK SIC has and could further change, in line with Eurostat's Nomenclature of Economic Activities (NACE). The proposed framework outlines our initial workings, following the revision of related international classifications: the United Nations' International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) and Eurostat's NACE. It may not include representations already made through the consultation and international revisions. Stakeholder views and suggestions for changes to the UK SIC framework will continue to be considered through the coordinator process.
Information on the changes and intended future work by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in collaboration with other government departments, and input from the coordinators, is provided in our SIC 2026 Framework Guidance (DOCX, 32KB).
The proposed SIC 2026 framework has been divided across a team of cross-government coordinators according to activity expertise areas. Coordinators will engage and review stakeholders' comments and proposals and will submit an agreed, consolidated proposal to the ONS. This process will take approximately three months.
Timeline
All interested parties will express their area of interest (outlined in the Help shape the updated SIC framework section) by 30 September 2025.
Coordinators will submit finalised proposals to the ONS by 31 October 2025.
Governance reviews and approvals will follow, with the SIC 2026 framework to be published by 31 March 2026.
Help shape the updated SIC framework
If you are already in contact and engaged with a SIC revision coordinator for your area of interest, your views will be fed in via their stakeholder engagement and revision process. You will not need to complete an Expression of Interest form.
To help shape the updated SIC framework, please use our Expression of interest form.
You will be asked to select which activities of the classification you are interested in and the reason for your interest. When you submit this form, it will be sent to the ONS's SIC revision team. They will review and forward it to the most appropriate coordinator. The coordinator will add you to their stakeholder list and will contact you to discuss your input.
Coordinators will engage with all stakeholders and contributors, collect all submissions, and quality assure them against the criteria in place for this revision.
Proposals are invited at the 5-digit subclass level, with exceptional cases at the 4-digit class level of the classification, both to be in line with the set revision criteria.
Next steps and decision-making process
All contributions and expressions of interest forms will be considered, though not all will be included in the coordinators’ final proposal. Decisions on what to include will be made by each coordinator.
Following the submission of all coordinator proposals, a final framework will be created by the ONS. This framework will be considered and approved by the cross-government Steering Group. Where agreement cannot be reached within the Steering Group, any dispute resolution will be the responsibility of the National Statistician. Once agreed, the final SIC 2026 framework will be ratified by the National Statistician’s Committee on Standards for Economic Statistics (NSCASE). This consolidation and approval process will run between November 2025 and March 2026.
Contact
For further information, please contact SIC.revision@ons.gov.uk