Well, there is good news and bad news. Women run a small business in the UK today in conditions that are both easier and harder than a decade ago. Digital tools, flexible working and a growing community of women founders have lowered many traditional barriers. Yet the cost-of-living crisis, childcare pressures and an always-on culture mean the reality is far from simple.

The good news: more women are starting businesses

Women-led businesses are a significant force in the UK economy. The 2024 Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship progress report found that the number of women-led businesses has risen by almost a fifth since 2018, and they now contribute tens of billions of pounds to the economy each year. According to the most recent ONS Labour Force Survey data, from 2024, there were around 1.5 million self-employed women across the UK, reflecting a long-term shift towards independent work. For a fuller picture, see our Women in Business: Key UK Facts page.

Technology is a major driver of this change. Cloud accounting software, project-management apps and video conferencing mean a home office can function as professionally as a city-centre suite. E-commerce platforms allow product businesses to reach customers without the overhead of a physical shop, while social media, email marketing and AI-powered tools offer low-cost ways to build a brand and automate routine tasks.

Remote and hybrid working, now embedded in UK working life, have made it far easier to fit a business around caring responsibilities. It is now widely accepted that women will launch ventures while raising children or supporting relatives, and networks for women in business have flourished. Since April 2024, employees have had the right to request flexible working from day one, and further changes are expected under the Employment Rights Bill. Role models are more visible than ever, and organisations such as Prowess, the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Chambers of Commerce provide practical support tailored to UK women entrepreneurs.

The bad news: the pressure has not disappeared

But the same technology that creates freedom can also create captivity. Smartphones and instant messaging make it possible to answer a client at 10 p.m. or process orders during a family dinner. The boundary between work and home has blurred, and many women report feeling they must be constantly available to both their business and their household.

Research consistently shows that women business owners carry a disproportionate mental load. They are more likely than male counterparts to combine business management with the majority of childcare, school runs and eldercare. UK childcare costs remain among the highest in the developed world: the Coram Family and Childcare 2024 survey found that a full-time nursery place for a child under two can cost more than £15,000 a year, and despite the expansion of government-funded hours, many self-employed women still find eligibility rules and availability patchy. Our guide to Free Childcare Self Employed UK: The 30-Hour Offer Explained sets out the current rules.

Finance is another hurdle. The British Business Bank 2024 report highlighted a persistent gender funding gap: women-led businesses receive only around 2% of UK venture capital investment each year. While initiatives such as the Investing in Women Code and regional growth funds are improving access, many women still rely on personal savings or start smaller than they would like. Read more in our Female Founder VC Funding Gap article.

Then there is the emotional cost. Surveys of women entrepreneurs regularly find high levels of overwhelm, imposter syndrome and guilt, particularly among those balancing young families. The question is rarely “Can I succeed in business?” but rather “Will I regret missing out on family life while I do it?”

Women run a small business in the UK: easier now?

Easier in some ways, harder in others. The practical barriers to starting a business have never been lower. You can register a company online with Companies House in a matter of hours, open a business bank account from your kitchen table, and trade globally before you have traded locally. Since 2025, new Companies House identity verification rules also require directors to verify their identity, a change designed to improve transparency.

For women who need flexibility, self-employment can offer an escape from inflexible employers and a route to financial independence. Yet running a sustainable, profitable business while maintaining wellbeing and relationships remains a challenge, especially against a backdrop of rising costs, economic uncertainty and squeezed public services. Technology does not remove the need for childcare, finance or headspace; it simply changes where and when the work gets done.

Choose your own definition of success

The answer, ultimately, is personal. “Having it all” is a myth; what matters is deciding what “enough” looks like for you and revisiting that decision regularly. That might mean:

• setting core working hours and turning off notifications outside them;
• outsourcing tasks that drain you, from bookkeeping to cleaning;
• setting a revenue target that supports your lifestyle rather than chasing unicorn growth;
• building a support network of peers, mentors and professionals who understand the realities of running a business.

It also means using the support that is available. From free government-backed business advice through Growth Hubs to peer networks and mentoring programmes, UK women entrepreneurs have more resources than ever. If you employ staff, keep on top of changes such as the National Living Wage, which rose to £12.21 an hour for people aged 21 and over in April 2025 and is reviewed each April.

Women run a small business in the UK today in conditions that are not effortless, but they are more possible than ever. The tools, role models and communities are in place. What remains is for each of us to decide what price we are willing to pay for success, and what kind of success we actually want.