Britain is losing tens of thousands of female entrepreneurs, new government figures reveal, in a trend that threatens both economic growth and diversity.
Despite years of initiatives to encourage women into business ownership, the latest survey shows that female-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have fallen to just 14% of the total — down from 19% in 2021.
That equates to tens of thousands fewer women at the helm of companies in the UK. The decline comes against a backdrop of rising taxes, mounting wage costs, and restricted access to finance, which experts say disproportionately affect women trying to break through as business leaders.
The Department for Business and Trade’s annual survey of 8,400 SMEs found that only 14% are now led by women, slipping from 15% in 2023 and 19% just three years ago.
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