1st for Awarding ranked among the fastest-growing businesses in the North of England

1st for Awarding, the Stockton-on-Tees-based assessment organisation, has been ranked among the fastest-growing businesses in the North of England and the UK’s fastest-growing assessment organisation in the 2026 UK Fast Growth Index, after growing its turnover by 104 per cent in two years.

It was named the UK’s fastest-growing end-point assessment organisation.

John Pritchard, CEO of 1st for Awarding, said:

“Being ranked among the fastest-growing businesses in the North of England is a huge achievement in such a short period of time, and is a testament to our team, their professionalism and high quality of delivery and unwavering support they provide to our customers. While we’re proud of the endorsement, as a business we remain ambitious, always looking at how we can innovate and improve whilst creating high quality and value for our customers. The passion, talent, and commitment within the team, and the strong relationships we’ve built with our customers and partners lay a great foundation for.”

The 2026 UK Fast Growth Index reveals the 350 fastest-growing independent businesses across the UK’s nations and regions. Together, they have more than doubled in size in just two years, with combined turnover rising from £4.3 billion in 2023 to £10.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 137 per cent.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, founder of the UK Fast Growth Index, said:

“1st for Awarding is a great example of the extraordinary talent and ambition we see in businesses across every part of the UK. Earning a place on this year’s Index, alongside firms that have together more than doubled in size in just two years, is a remarkable achievement, and the whole team should be very proud.
“At a time when we hear so much about the challenges facing the UK economy, businesses like 1st for Awarding show what is possible when they are given the chance to grow. The challenge now is to help more of them become those incredible high-growth businesses that make a massive impact across the country.”