Exit routes for UK business owners
There are five main ways to exit a UK owner-managed business. The right one depends on your goals, your people, your timeline, and the financial structure of the deal. This section covers all five in plain English.
Trade Sale
Selling your business to another company: typically a competitor, a supplier, or a business in an adjacent sector seeking to acquire capability or market share.
Read the guide →Management Buyout
Your existing management team buys the business from you, usually with the support of private equity or bank debt. Continuity for the team; a clean exit for the owner.
Read the guide →Employee Ownership Trust
You sell a controlling stake to a trust held on behalf of all employees. Attractive tax treatment remains available, though it changed following the October 2024 Budget.
Read the guide →Family Succession
Passing the business to the next generation: children, other family members, or a trusted long-term colleague. Often emotionally complex. Tax planning matters significantly.
Read the guide →Private Equity
Selling a majority stake to a PE firm, typically remaining in the business through a second investment cycle before a full exit. Highest valuations; most demanding process.
Read the guide →