NatWest has exceeded its pledge to lend £2bn to women-led businesses by the end of 2025, reaching £2.84bn in lending across more than 55,900 loans. The target has been met well ahead of schedule, marking a significant milestone for the bank’s long-running efforts to expand financial support for women entrepreneurs across the UK.
The bank said the average loan reached £50,700, with demand coming from a wide range of sectors. Health, leisure, commercial real estate, retail and professional services made up the top five industries receiving funding. Regionally, lending was strongest in London, followed by the South-East, North-West, Scotland and the South-West, reflecting the role women-run firms continue to play in regional economic activity.
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 £2bn 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.”
NatWest’s Women in Business programme, launched in 2012, has become a core element of the bank’s strategy to widen financial opportunities for female founders. Its work has included early initiatives with Everywoman and the Inspiring Women into Enterprise programme, helping establish a nationwide support network aimed at improving access to funding, mentorship and specialist advice.
By 2023, NatWest reported that more than half of its support was directed to women-led ventures, positioning the bank among the UK’s largest backers of female entrepreneurs. Over the past decade, it has expanded its influence through regional events, advisory partnerships and contributions to policy discussions, including the Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship and the Economic Blueprint for Women.
NatWest has also worked to support women through more challenging periods, including tailored funding solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts linked to the Investing in Women Code. More recent collaborations with platforms such as Meta, Buy Women Built and the Getty Images Female Focus Campaign have helped entrepreneurs access digital tools, broaden visibility and promote more authentic representation in business imagery.
The bank said it will continue working with partners to develop new funding routes, training opportunities and early-stage programmes, including the recently launched Begin Programme, as it maintains its commitment to championing women in business.
