NatWest has exceeded its 2025 target to lend £2 billion to female-led businesses, reporting a total of £2.84 billion lent across more than 55,900 loans — two years ahead of schedule. The milestone highlights both the appetite for capital among women entrepreneurs and the bank’s growing focus on gender-inclusive finance.
According to the bank’s data, the average loan stood at £50,700, with lending strongest in London, followed by the South East, North West, Scotland and the South West. The top five sectors receiving support were health, leisure, commercial real estate, retail and professional services — underscoring the diverse reach of female-led enterprises.
Robert Begbie, CEO of NatWest Commercial & Institutional, said: “We’re proud to be one of the leading banks in the UK for backing women in business. Surpassing our £2 billion investment target ahead of schedule shows the strength and ambition of female-led companies. Our commitment is long-standing, with over 1,000 Women in Business specialists, more than half of our accelerator founders being women, and the launch of the first ever €500 million social bond for female-led businesses.”
Launched in 2012, the NatWest Women in Business programme has provided finance, mentorship and networking support for female entrepreneurs nationwide. Partnerships with Everywoman and initiatives such as the Inspiring Women into Enterprise programme helped lay the foundation for a dedicated support network, now backed by over 1,000 specialist advisers.
By 2023, NatWest had become one of the UK’s largest providers of finance to women-led businesses, with more than half of its business support going to female founders. This commitment was reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic through repayment holidays, resilience workshops, and virtual training sessions. The bank was also a founding signatory of the Investing in Women Code, driving greater transparency in access to capital.
More recently, NatWest has expanded its reach through digital and visibility partnerships with Meta, Buy Women Built, and the Getty Images Female Focus Campaign. These collaborations offer female entrepreneurs marketing training and representation in authentic business imagery. The bank has also introduced the Begin Programme to support women starting their entrepreneurial journey and issued ring-fenced funding to encourage early-stage growth.
NatWest has played a central role in national initiatives aimed at closing the gender funding gap, including the Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship and the Economic Blueprint for Women. The bank continues to host regional events and partnerships designed to improve access to finance and encourage sustained business resilience.
As it looks beyond the £2 billion milestone, NatWest says it will continue working with industry and government partners to extend its programme and invest further in female-led enterprises across the UK.
