Anita Roddick launched The Body Shop from her kitchen in Brighton in 1976 because she needed an income while her husband travelled. What began as a small, values-led venture grew into a global brand that proved business could be a force for good. Nearly fifty years on, the path from kitchen table to boardroom is wider than it was, but it is still not equally paved. This article sets out where women in business UK stand in 2026, what the latest data shows, and what you can do next.
Women in business UK: the scale in 2026
Women now run a significant slice of the UK business base. According to ONS labour market data from 2026, around 1.6 million women are self-employed across the UK. Women-led businesses contribute more than £85 billion to the economy, according to the 2024 Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship. These are not niche operators. They span professional services, technology, health, retail, creative industries and skilled trades.
The rise is particularly marked among older women. ONS figures show self-employment among women over 50 has grown steadily, with many starting businesses after redundancy, caring responsibilities or a deliberate career reset. If you are in that group, you are part of one of the fastest-growing segments of the UK labour market. See our guide to ONS: Self-Employed Women Over 50 on the Rise.
From kitchen table to high-growth venture
The stereotype of the woman running a lifestyle business from home no longer matches reality. Kitchen-table founders are building scalable companies, raising investment, exporting and hiring. Yet the funding gap remains stubborn. The British Business Bank’s 2024 Small Business Finance Markets report found that all-female founder teams raise only around 1% of UK venture capital, with mixed-gender teams raising a further small share. The gap is narrowing in absolute pounds, but the pace is slow.
That makes it essential to know the funding routes that do work for women right now. The government-backed Start Up Loans Female Founders programme offers personal loans for early-stage businesses, and the British Business Bank’s regional funds and the newer Women Backing Women Fund are designed to increase the flow of capital to women-led firms. Read more in our Female Founder VC Funding Gap guide.
The boardroom picture for women leaders
At the top of larger companies, progress is visible but uneven. The FTSE Women Leaders Review reported that women held more than 42% of FTSE 100 board seats in 2025, and FTSE 350 companies are close behind. The 33% target set by the Hampton-Alexander Review has been met and exceeded at board level.
However, the executive pipeline tells a different story. Women still hold fewer than one in ten CEO roles in the FTSE 100, according to the FTSE Women Leaders Review 2025, and the path from senior board member to chief executive remains blocked by gaps in operational experience and sponsorship. Our analysis of Board Diversity May Be Blocking Women’s Path to CEO explores why.
Barriers that still need clearing
Three structural barriers keep appearing in the data:
- Access to finance. Women founders are less likely to seek external finance and more likely to be turned down when they do.
- The gender pay gap. ONS data from 2026 puts the median full-time gender pay gap at around 7%, with larger gaps in some sectors and senior roles.
- Career interruptions. Caring responsibilities, the menopause and ageism disproportionately affect women’s earnings and progression.
These are not personal failings. They are system features that require deliberate responses, from flexible working policies to transparent pay reporting and targeted investment.
Emotional intelligence as a leadership asset
The original article highlighted emotional intelligence, and that point has aged well. Research from the CIPD and UK business schools consistently links emotional intelligence with better team performance, retention and decision-making. In a small business, the ability to read a room, manage conflict and communicate a clear purpose is not soft. It is a competitive advantage.
Women are not automatically better at this than men, but they are often socialised to practise it from an earlier age. The opportunity is to name it, develop it and use it as a leadership tool rather than an unpaid support skill.
Age is no barrier to success
Women in their fifties, sixties and seventies are among the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs in the UK. Many combine decades of industry knowledge with new digital tools to start ventures in consulting, crafts, food, coaching and professional services. If you are wondering whether you are too old to start, the data says you are not. Experience, networks and resilience are assets that younger founders often have to build from scratch.
Practical action steps for your business
- Check the latest Women in Business: Key UK Facts page for current statistics.
- If you need start-up funding, explore Start Up Loans and local growth hubs before approaching equity investors.
- Benchmark your pay and progression practices against ONS gender pay gap data for your sector.
- Build emotional intelligence into your leadership development, not as an afterthought.
- If you are over 50 and self-employed, review your pension, tax and National Insurance position before the end of the tax year.
What this means for you
The journey from kitchen table to boardroom is no longer a fairy tale. It is a measurable, documented path taken by millions of women in business UK. The data shows real progress and real gaps. Your job is to use the facts, choose your route and keep moving.
