Family Business of the Year Awards
The National Family Business Of The Year Awards are a celebration of the family business sector across the whole of the UK. Recognising the achievements of great family firms, large and small, old and new, from all sectors of the economy, these prestigious awards are the only awards that shine a national spotlight on these incredible businesses.
Each year, Family Business United brings together some of the UK’s most successful and inspiring family firms through its National Family Business of the Year Awards. Created to recognise the outstanding contribution that family-owned businesses make to the economy, communities and society as a whole, the awards celebrate excellence, innovation, resilience and long-term stewardship across generations.
Open to family businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions, the awards provide a national platform to showcase the achievements, values and stories that make family enterprises unique. From emerging first-generation businesses to established multi-generational companies, the awards recognise those businesses that combine commercial success with a strong sense of purpose, people and legacy.
More than an awards programme, the National Family Business of the Year Awards are a celebration of the family business community, highlighting the vital role these businesses play in shaping the future of the UK economy while inspiring the next generation of family business leaders.
The 2026 awards evening takes place in London on June 17.
Find out more and book your tickets to join us here
Family Business of the Year Award Judges
Paul Andrews
CEO, Family Business United
Sam Doo
Strategic Growth Partner, TOP Training
Ben Fowler
Managing Director, Western Pension Solutions
Sarah Harkness
Partner, IN-Accountancy
Ellie Milner
Partner, Mills & Reeve
Jason Rockett
Managing Director, Potter Space
Andy Cowie
Partner, James Cowper Kreston
Ben Handley
Partner, BDO
Helen Tonks MBE
Founder, Hydraulics Online
Reena Bhudia
Tax Director, Goodman Jones
Norma Stewart
Partner, Azets
Charlotte Jian
Partner, Goodman Jones
Mike Kane
Partner, Turcan Connell
David Twiddle
Managing Partner, TWYD & Co
Nick Mayhew
Managing Director, Alembic Strategy
Jennifer Leeder
Partner
Jane Wylie-Roberts
CEO
Celebrating the very best of British family firms.
Organised by Family Business United, THE family business champions, these awards were introduced in 2012 and have become a key fixture in the family business calendar with some amazing family businesses over the years taking home one of the prestigious awards.
The awards are presented with regional, sector and national titles are up for grabs, as well as regional People’s Choice awards and special recognition for family firms doing great things in terms of sustainability, innovation, entrepreneurship and community involvement. Winners over the years have come from all corners of the UK, young family firms and long-standing, multi-generational family businesses, small and large, and collectively represent great role models for the sector.
We pride ourselves on the process involved which from nomination through to the gala awards evening engages with a fantastic panel of experts to deliberate and determine the winners. Our judges represent a real family business panel of experts, representing the worlds of business with a number of previous winners represented together with some of the UK’s leading academics and family business consultants.
Each year the awards culminate in an evening where there is plenty of time to enjoy the awards evening with fellow finalists, networking over good food and wine in a relaxed environment in before the focus turns to the auditorium and presentation of the awards to the winners. After the presentations we get to celebrate with the winners too.
As Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United explains, “This is always a fantastic evening where the family business community comes together to celebrate the very best of British family firms. Family firms are the engine room of the national economy and these awards celebrate all of their achievements. All of our winners are fantastic examples of great British family firms and it is a real honour to host these awards and celebrate with them.”
