For a growing number of UK women, menopause and self-employment go together. When hot flushes, broken sleep or brain fog collide with rigid hours and unsympathetic workplaces, going solo can feel less like a bold choice and more like the only workable option. The evidence shows how common this experience is, and it raises hard questions about income, wellbeing and gaps in legal protection.
What the data tells us about menopause’s impact at work
In 2024–25, a UK survey found that 36% of female and non-binary workers reported current or past menopause or perimenopause symptoms. Among them, 82% said those symptoms had some impact on their ability to work, particularly on concentration, stress and confidence.
The consequences show up in the employment figures. A 2025 literature review estimated that around 60,000 women in the UK were not in employment because of perimenopause or menopause. Many more had reduced their hours, left a job or were considering it. Psychological symptoms, such as anxiety and low mood, correlate most strongly with plans to cut back or leave.
Self-employment stats: age, trends and what they mean
UK labour market data show that self-employment rises sharply with age. In 2024, among people aged 55–59 in work, 22% were self-employed. This rose to 37% for those aged 66–69. Women are part of that growth, though fewer are self-employed than men at every age.
In 2023, the rate of self-employment among workers aged 50–64 stood at 17.4%, compared with 11.1% among those aged 25–49, according to the House of Commons Library’s self-employment briefing. Menopause is not the only driver here. But these figures overlap with the ages at which symptoms often intensify and affect paid work.
How menopause and self-employment connect
Women facing menopause often describe pressures in traditional employment that push them towards working for themselves:
- Flexibility and control over working hours: when hot flushes, sleep loss or fatigue strike, freelancers and business owners can adjust schedules or take rest breaks without seeking an employer’s permission.
- Avoiding stigma and managing disclosure: many do not feel safe disclosing symptoms such as brain fog or mood swings to employers. Working for yourself removes some of that anxiety.
- Physical comfort and environment: with no uniform policies or rigid office conditions, self-employed women can control temperature, attire and location.
- Reduced risk of job loss or downgrading: the 2025 literature review found that many women feel pressured to reduce their job status, turn down promotions or even leave employment because of menopause. Self-employment can ease those pressures.
Legal and policy gaps in protection
There is currently no specific UK law covering menopause at work. Anyone seeking protection must rely on broader legislation, such as the Equality Act 2010, or on health and safety duties. Employers with 250 or more staff will have to publish equality action plans that include measures to support staff experiencing menopause; the requirement is expected to begin on a voluntary basis from 2026 before becoming mandatory.
For the self-employed, most of this framework simply does not apply. There is no employer to make reasonable adjustments, no Statutory Sick Pay, no occupational health service and no workplace risk assessment. Much of the support that does exist is designed around employers, which can leave women who work for themselves outside the criteria.
The risks and trade-offs of going solo
Self-employment provides freedom, but it also brings financial uncertainty. Many self-employed women report income falling when they reduce their hours because of symptoms. In one small survey of 47 freelance and self-employed workers, 62% cited tiredness, sleep problems or low energy, and many said their income fell when symptoms worsened. The sample was small and self-reported, so treat these figures as indicative rather than representative.
Going solo also means taking responsibility for your own insurance, pension contributions, tax and, at times, irregular cash flow. Without employer benefits, managing treatment costs or medical appointments becomes more complex, and there is no legal safety net if menopause-related health issues prevent you from working.
What’s changing, and what still needs to change
Steps are under way to shift workplace norms and protections:
- Equality action plans will put menopause support on the boardroom agenda at larger employers for the first time.
- Guidance for employers from Acas, CIPD and the Office for Equality and Opportunity covers risk assessments, training and adjustment policies, including ventilation, uniform policies, access to toilets, breaks and leave.
- Growing public awareness is reducing stigma, helping more women feel safe discussing their symptoms. Still, many workplaces, especially smaller ones, lag behind. The cost of interventions is low; the barrier is recognition.
But gaps remain. There is little research focused specifically on women who have left employment to become self-employed because of menopause. Support schemes often require employer involvement, so self-employed women can miss out on Employee Assistance Programmes or occupational health services, and current research rarely quantifies the financial trade-offs.
Considering self-employment? Practical steps to take
If you are weighing up a move into self-employment in response to menopause challenges, these steps will help:
- Build a financial buffer: aim to cover three to six months of living costs, with money set aside for treatment, slow periods and irregular earnings.
- Choose the right structure: operating as a sole trader is the simplest route, but a limited company can offer tax and liability advantages as your income grows. Our guide to sole trader versus limited company sets out the differences.
- Check what support exists: some local authorities and women’s business networks offer micro-grants or mentoring for founders over 50. Start with our round-up of grants for women in business.
- Set boundaries around work hours: decide in advance what adjustments you will make when symptoms flare, such as flexible hours, rest breaks or a temporarily reduced workload.
- Create a workspace that fits: ventilation, cooling, good lighting and ergonomic furniture all help you manage symptoms day to day.
- Build a support network: fellow self-employed women, mentors and healthcare professionals who understand both menopause and business.
It also helps to avoid relying on a single client: diversifying your income streams cushions the fluctuations that health and energy levels can bring.
My view: self-employment should be a choice, not a refuge
Going solo to manage menopause is often framed as empowerment, and for many women it genuinely is. But when it happens because an employer would not bend, it is a coping strategy, not a triumph. A labour market that exports its menopause problem to the freelance sector has not solved it; it has simply moved it somewhere less visible, where there is no sick pay, no occupational health and no one obliged to make adjustments.
Employers need to step up so that women are not forced out at the peak of their experience and earning power. Legal change, practical support and cultural shifts should give women a real choice: stay and thrive where they are, or leave and build something of their own, on their own terms.
Explore more UK labour market statistics in our key facts about women in business, and if you are weighing up going solo, start with our guide to becoming self-employed in the UK.
