New figures reveal a steep year-on-year decline in the number of businesses registered by women across the UK’s largest cities. Despite overall growth in new company registrations nationwide, female entrepreneurship has markedly contracted, signalling potential structural issues in access, support, and funding.
According to the latest analysis from Instant Offices, the number of women-led companies registered in 2024 dropped significantly in eight of the UK’s ten largest cities compared to the previous year. Bristol saw the most dramatic fall, down 57%, followed closely by Leicester (–56%), Glasgow (–54%), Leeds (–52%), Birmingham, and Liverpool (both –51%). Even London, the country’s economic engine, recorded a 48% reduction.
This trend comes despite the government’s goals to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by 600,000 by 2030. The reversal suggests that existing initiatives may not translate into results on the ground.
The study highlights key inhibitors, including limited access to funding, underrepresentation in investment decision-making, and the enduring gender pay gap. Only 2p of every £1 in UK equity investment currently goes to all-female founding teams, a figure that has not improved over the past decade.
Although total company registrations in some cities grew in 2024, the disproportionate drop in women-led firms underscores systemic hurdles rather than a broader economic slowdown. The data suggests a need for tailored investment vehicles, expanded mentoring networks, and more inclusive funding structures if the UK intends to meet its long-term targets for entrepreneurial diversity.
