NatWest has exceeded its key commitment to lend £2bn to women-led businesses by the end of 2025, revealing it has already provided £2.84bn of funding across more than 55,900 loans.
This achievement comes a full year ahead of schedule and reinforces the bank’s role as one of the largest supporters of female entrepreneurship in the UK.
The average loan size was around £50,700, with demand high across a variety of sectors. Healthcare-related businesses received the most support, followed by leisure, commercial real estate, retail and professional services. Regionally, London led the way in overall lending, closely followed by the South East, North West, Scotland and the South West – reflecting the breadth of economic activity driven by women-led businesses across the country.
Robert Begbie, CEO of NatWest Commercial & Institutional, described the milestone as a testament to the scale and ambition of women-led businesses: “Exceeding our £2bn investment target ahead of schedule.
NatWest’s work supporting women in business goes back more than a decade. Since launching its Women in Business program in 2012, the bank has invested heavily in technical support, mentoring, networking and access to finance. Early partnerships with Everywoman and programs like Inspiring Women into Enterprise laid the foundation for a national support ecosystem.
In 2023, more than half of entrepreneurs supported by NatWest accelerator programs were women – a significant shift in a sector where female founders typically receive only a fraction of available funding. The Bank’s regional reach, strategic partnerships and policy initiatives such as the Rose Review and the Economic Blueprint for Women have helped make the UK’s gender funding gap more visible and dynamic.
During the pandemic, NatWest has adapted its support with resilience workshops, repayment holidays and virtual training to help female founders navigate volatility. As a founding member of the Investing in Women Code, the company also played a critical role in promoting transparency and accountability around lending practices.
More recently, collaborations with Meta, Buy Women Built and Getty Images’ Female Focus Campaign have empowered women-owned businesses with digital marketing capabilities, greater visibility and better representation in corporate imagery. New dedicated funding for women entrepreneurs and early-stage programs such as the Begin Initiative are helping women start and grow businesses in high-growth sectors.
As NatWest considers exceeding its flagship promise, the bank says it remains committed to expanding both funding and opportunities for women-led businesses, working with industry and government partners to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship in the UK and support long-term economic growth.
