UK SIC 2007 · 72200
Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities
Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities is UK SIC code 72200, part of division 72 (Scientific research and development) in the SIC 2007 classification. As of the July 2026 Companies House register, 4,368 active UK companies list 72200 among their SIC codes, and 2,120 list it as their first code. That makes it the third most used code in its division.
As of the July 2026 Companies House register, 4,368 active UK companies list 72200 among their SIC codes (2,120 as their first code).
Companies House data refreshed daily. Page reviewed July 2026.
Division 72: Scientific research and development
Scientific research and development covers organisations whose product is knowledge. 72190 is the broadest entry, taking in natural sciences and engineering R&D from materials work to applied physics, while 72110 isolates biotechnology research and 72200 covers social sciences and humanities. The population mixes university spinouts, grant-funded ventures that are pre-revenue by design, corporate research subsidiaries and consultancies that chose an R&D code to reflect genuinely experimental work. Expect long gaps between incorporation and commercial trading compared with most divisions.
Investors, grant consultants and R&D tax relief advisers monitor these codes closely, since a new 72110 or 72190 incorporation frequently follows a funding award or a spinout agreement. Lab equipment suppliers, specialist recruiters, patent attorneys and contract research organisations also prospect here. Because many entries burn funding rather than earn revenue, filing history is a better health signal than growth metrics, and companies approaching accounts deadlines with no website are often shelved projects rather than live buyers.
Related SIC codes
Where SIC 72200 clusters in the UK
About SIC 72200
How many UK companies use SIC code 72200?
4,368 active UK companies include 72200 (Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities) among their up-to-four registered SIC codes, of which 2,120 list it first. Figures are from the July 2026 Companies House register snapshot, counting active companies only.
Do I need a division 72 SIC code to claim R&D tax relief?
No. HMRC assesses R&D relief claims on the nature of the work itself, not on the SIC code at Companies House, so companies in any division can qualify. SIC codes are self-selected with no approval process. That said, advisers often scan division 72 for prospects, so carrying an accurate research code can mean more relevant inbound approaches, useful or otherwise.
What is the difference between 72190 and an engineering code in division 71?
Division 72 describes experimental development: work aimed at creating new knowledge, prototypes or techniques. Division 71 covers applying established engineering expertise to client projects. A firm doing both can hold codes from each, since Companies House allows up to 4 per company, chosen at incorporation or updated on the confirmation statement (CS01). Pick whichever reflects the majority of your activity first.
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