UK business investment in information and communications technology hit a new record high in 2014, reaching £34.4bn (€48.0bn), according to BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions.

This was a 24% increase compared to the total businesses’ IT capital spending recorded at the height of the recession in 2009, when it stood at £27.6bn.

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions found that private sector IT investment exceeded its pre-crisis peak of £30.9bn in 2008.

According to the lessor, this growth was driven by investment in software, which jumped by 6% in the last year alone from £25.8bn in 2013 to £27.5bn in 2014. The company calculated that software accounted for 80% of businesses’ IT capital expenditure in 2014, up from 74% ten years ago.

In the first quarter of this year, businesses spent £6.9bn on software.

Tristan Watkins, UK country manager for BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions said: "Investment in software is surging ahead because while most hardware has become relatively cheap and increasingly standardised, developments in software are advancing all the time."

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

"Whether that’s industry- or application-specific software such as accounting or design packages, supply chain management programmes or sophisticated security software, businesses know that the right software will help them to be more efficient or provide better customer service than their competitors."