DBT Professional and Business Services sector team
The DBT (formally BEIS) Professional and Business Services (PBS) team’s job is to help the UK PBS sector succeed. It does this by working with industry and across government to make the UK a great place for PBS firms to do business, engaging with a range of trade associations, professional bodies and individual PBS businesses.
Coverage of PBS activities
Professional services
Professional services includes a range of knowledge-intensive activities, providing specialised support to businesses, government and other organisations. These include:
- legal activities
- accounting, bookkeeping, audit and tax consultancy
- activities of head offices, management consultancy and corporate communications
- architecture, engineering and related technical consultancy
- scientific research and development, technical testing and analysis
- advertising and market research
- other professional, scientific and technical activities, including:
- specialised design and photographic activities
- translation and interpretation services
- environmental consulting and quantity surveying
Business services
Business services includes a range of support functions for other businesses, government and other organisations, including:
- rental and leasing of consumer goods, transport vehicles, industrial equipment and machinery, and intellectual property
- employment activities, including:
- human resources provision and management of human resources functions
- employment placement and temporary employment agencies
- office administration and other business support activities, including:
- combined office administrative services
- document preparation and other specialised office support
- call centres
- exhibition, fair and conference organisers
Professional and Business Services Council
The team is responsible for the industry-led Professional and Business Services Council (PBSC).
Visit the Professional and Business Services Council website.
Current membership
The council is made up of representatives from the PBS sector and is co-chaired by a DBT minister.
- Ministerial co-chair: Gareth Thomas MP
- Industry co-chair: Sally Jones, Partner, EY
See the full membership list on the PBSC website.
PBSC Working Groups
The PBSC working groups have identified the following priority areas and work in partnership with government to inform thinking on the future direction of the sector and its contribution to the UK economy:
- Skills and Inclusion Working Group: engaged on access to skills, understand future skills needs and to support business growth in the industry
- Importance of Place Working Group: engaged with rolling out a programme to support elements of the plan for growth objectives across local areas in the UK, to promote growth within the sector and to increase demand for PBS services
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG): engaged in promoting and enhancing the PBS sector’s responsible business activities; it has two subgroups focusing on climate and carbon, and culture and workplace
- International Trade and Trade Promotion Working Group