A research of UK consulting trade clients has discovered that two-in-five organisations are trying to consulting corporations for support with digital and technological transformations. Knowledge from the Administration Consultancies Affiliation confirms this development is sharpest within the public sector – the place greater than half of clients are prioritising know-how funding.
Carried out by analysis agency Savanta, the Administration Consultancies Affiliation 2026 Shopper Survey polled greater than 350 leaders from a wide-range of organisations who use the companies of consulting corporations. Sectors ranged from monetary companies and manufacturing to these working in central and native authorities.
Highlighting probably the most urgent challenges going through UK organisations throughout the non-public and public sectors, the MCA’s evaluation exhibits that UK organisations are beneath intensifying strain from rising prices, cyber safety dangers and low financial development, whereas efforts to undertake synthetic intelligence are being slowed by expertise shortages and safety issues. Specifically, after three years of unrestrained hype, companies are coming beneath strain to present returns on funding for synthetic intelligence.
Supply: Administration Consultancies Affiliation. Consultancy.uk evaluation.
This has resulted in a rising warning amongst companies across the adoption of AI. Whereas consumer organisations nonetheless say they recognise AI’s potential, 40% now concern progress is being held again by knowledge safety and privateness issues, whereas 34% cite a scarcity of expert inside groups, and 28% observe difficulties establishing clear governance and strategic roadmaps. In the meantime, the price of implementation is famous as a constraint by slightly below a 3rd of respondents.
That is fuelling demand for consulting companies, in accordance to the MCA, because the highest-demand service line for the sector amongst clients stays digital and know-how advisory – simply forward of technique and danger administration on 34% every. With the MCA predicting the sector will obtain 6% development this yr and seven% in 2027, serving to clients to get extra from their AI and digital transformations is changing into central to the well being of the consulting trade. Small and mid-sized gamers specialising within the sector might also discover a fruitful house to disrupt the sector, too, with SMEs anticipated to develop at an excellent sooner 25%.
Tamzen Isacsson, chief government of the Administration Consultancies Affiliation, commented, “In difficult financial situations consulting helps organisations transfer sooner, handle danger and ship actual productiveness good points. The MCA Shopper Survey 2026 exhibits the aggressive edge now lies in having the ability to present judgement, sector data and belief that’s earned by means of outcomes. As UK organisations navigate price pressures, digital disruption, and growing governance calls for, the main MCA consulting corporations will reply with sensible experience and real partnership.”
Supply: Administration Consultancies Affiliation. Consultancy.uk evaluation
The general public sector has traditionally been the second largest client-sector for consultants within the UK, behind the nation’s monetary companies market. And reflecting this – as the federal government appears to press forward with key initiatives to digitalise public companies, and wire AI into the guts of the state – public sector consumer priorities are heightened compared to their non-public sector counterparts.
When it comes to responding to technological change, these working within the public sector are taking proactive steps. A 56% majority are upskilling or retraining workers in digital expertise, in contrast to 45% within the non-public sector. Round 51% of public sector clients are additionally investing extra in new applied sciences than 45% of personal clients. Importantly for the skilled companies sector, in the meantime, public sector entities are additionally extra possible to flip to exterior consultants or advisors for digital transformation initiatives. That is one thing they’ve commonly achieved in recent times to plug the abilities shortages which nonetheless linger in authorities departments – having been left short-staffed by a sustained interval of austerity, forward of a decade of speedy change.
With scrutiny nonetheless being heaped on the UK authorities’s consulting spend, nevertheless, 48% of public sector clients additionally famous effectivity issues, in contrast to 31% of personal friends. Wanting forward, demonstrating worth for cash will stay a key precedence for consultants trying to take advantage of demand on this house, then.
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