Female entrepreneurship - Women and Equalities Committee - UK Inquiry Tracker

Female entrepreneurship

Women and Equalities Committee Open Inquiry

Opened: 30 Jan 2025 Parliament page

The Women and Equalities Committee will examine the barriers women face pursuing entrepreneurialism. The inquiry will analyse in which sectors of the economy women face the greatest obstacles to entrepreneurship and why, and consider what can be done to address these.

25 Recommendations

16 Conclusions

1 Report

6 Oral sessions

1 Letter

6 Events

Activity timeline 15 events

22 Apr
2026

Oral evidence

Women and Equalities Committee

22 Apr
2026

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Women and Equalities Committee

25 Feb
2026

Oral evidence

Women and Equalities Committee

25 Feb
2026

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Women and Equalities Committee

27 Jan
2026

Report published

8th Special Report - Female entrepreneurship: Government Response

22 Oct
2025

Report published

8th Report - Female entrepreneurship

3 Sep
2025

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Minister for Investment, Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury and the Minister for Services, Small Bus…

2 Jul
2025

Oral evidence

Women and Equalities Committee

2 Jul
2025

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Women and Equalities Committee

4 Jun
2025

Oral evidence

Women and Equalities Committee

4 Jun
2025

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Women and Equalities Committee

7 May
2025

Oral evidence

Women and Equalities Committee

Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions

22 Apr 2026

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Women and Equalities Committee

Blair McDougall MP · Department for Business and Trade Kristen McLeod · British Business Bank Paula Crofts · Department for Business and Trade The Lord Stockwood · Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury

25 Feb 2026

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Women and Equalities Committee

Debbie Wosskow OBE · Invest in Women Taskforce Jenny Tooth OBE · UK Business Angels Association Tara Attfield-Tomes · The 51% Club & EAST VILLAGE

2 Jul 2025

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Women and Equalities Committee

Gareth Thomas MP · Department for Business and Trade Gillian Unsworth · Equality Hub Paula Crofts · Department for Business and Trade The Baroness Gustafsson CBE · Department for Business and Trade

4 Jun 2025

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Women and Equalities Committee

Alice Albizzati · Revaia Jenny Tooth OBE · UK Business Angels Association Rupert Lyle · West Midlands Co-Investment Fund Sophie Winwood · unlock VC

7 May 2025

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Women and Equalities Committee

Devie Mohan · Burnmark Dr Roni Savage · Jomas Associates Izzy Obeng · Foundervine Louise Hill · GoHenry

2 Apr 2025

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Women and Equalities Committee

Debbie Wosskow OBE · Invest in Women Taskforce Dr Lorna Treanor · The University of Nottingham Dr Sarah Marks · Swansea University School of Management Jill Pay · The Gender Index Professor Ute Stephan · King's College London Stephen Welton CBE · British Business Bank

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
8th Report - Female entrepreneurship	HC 711	22 Oct 2025	41	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

41 results

1 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Require venture capital firms to increase the proportion of women on investment committees.

It should be a concern to all that a tiny fraction of venture capital investment goes to supporting women-led businesses. Despite numerous reviews and initiatives this situation is getting worse not better. Venture capital firms must do more to challenge … Read more

Government Response

The government accepts the recommendation, outlining new specific actions through the British Business Bank's Strategic Plan. These include launching the £400m Investor Pathways programme, expanding support to diverse angel networks with new Angel Syndicate Support and Embracing Diversity programmes, and strengthening data collection to promote transparency.

Government Equalities Office

2 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Require significant state intervention to increase access to finance for female founders.

The prize of £250 billion plus in potential growth is one that the Government should throw everything it has at pursuing. Current piecemeal initiatives have had little impact, systemic change is required. First and foremost this needs to be led … Read more

Government Response

The government highlights the existing government-led Investing in Women Code as a significant initiative for transparency and accountability, and explains why the FCA does not request reporting from venture capital firms due to proportionality and streamlining plans.

Government Equalities Office

3 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

British Business Bank initiatives for women in venture capital are welcome but insufficient.

We welcome new initiatives by the British Business Bank to support more women into venture capital, particularly the commitment that at least 50% of investment from the Investor Pathways Capital initiative will be targeted at female fund managers and the … Read more

Government Response

The government welcomed the committee's focus, sharing the ambition to improve access to finance for female entrepreneurs, and detailed the British Business Bank's existing initiatives and new Strategic Plan which already embed diversity and inclusion, stating they will continue to work closely with the Bank.

Government Equalities Office

4 Recommendation Acknowledged

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Require British Business Bank to set target to increase equity finance for female entrepreneurs to 10%.

We recommend that the British Business Bank should: • have a fifth strategic objective, to ensure that equity finance to female entrepreneurs in the UK increases from 2% to 10% by 2030; • set itself the target of ensuring that … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees with the committee's recommendations for the British Business Bank but does not commit to immediate changes, stating it will not rule out interventions in the future if investment in female entrepreneurs does not improve.

Government Equalities Office

5 Conclusion Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Mandate FCA to require venture capital firms to report and publish female-led business funding data.

We do not accept arguments that transparency and accountability in venture capital are too difficult, and neither should the Government. The Financial Conduct Authority should be mandated to require all registered venture capital firms to report on the number and … Read more

Government Response

The government deflects the recommendation for the FCA to mandate reporting and levy penalties on venture capital firms, instead highlighting Innovate UK's existing Women in Innovation Programme and its commitment to inclusive innovation.

Government Equalities Office

6 Recommendation Accepted in Part

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Require British Business Bank to mandate data on equitable investment decisions for female-led businesses.

In the immediate term, the British Business Bank must take more of an interest in whom its funding supports. Venture capital firms and angel investors that benefit from public funding should be required to demonstrate gender-equitable investment decisions. The British … Read more

Government Response

The government states the British Business Bank's new Strategic Plan emphasizes diversity and inclusion, and the Bank already strengthens data collection and encourages responsible investment practices. It also highlights existing initiatives like Start Up Loans and the new Investor Pathways Capital initiative to support diverse founders and decision-makers.

Government Equalities Office

7 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Prepare Government to intervene on gender quotas if female entrepreneur investment does not improve.

Wo do not support mandating gender quotas on investment committees at this stage, as measures to improve transparency and increased incentives to change behaviour should be given time to have an effect; but the Government should not rule out intervention … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees on supporting women-led businesses and highlights its current strategies, including the new British Business Bank £400m Investor Pathways scheme, to back under-represented entrepreneurs and foster an action-based approach through initiatives like the Invest in Women Taskforce.

Government Equalities Office

8 Conclusion Acknowledged

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Innovate UK's funding structures and processes exhibit systemic bias against female entrepreneurs.

Innovate UK provides an essential funding stream for mainly male entrepreneurs. Women who seek to access funding from it report their projects being undervalued and subject to biased investment decisions from majority male assessment panels. Match funding requirements exclude women … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledges the conclusion by highlighting Innovate UK's existing Women in Innovation Programme, its past successes, and claiming equal success rates for applications. It also notes new actions being taken, such as establishing a Community Forum, launching an assessor recruitment campaign, and exploring ways to help investors identify women-led businesses.

Government Equalities Office

9 Conclusion Acknowledged

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Require Innovate UK to ringfence 30% of funding and reform processes for female entrepreneurs.

Public funding structures should challenge gender bias and not reinforce it. Innovate UK should: • ringfence a minimum of 30% of its funding for female entrepreneurs with year on year increases to 40% by 2030; 53 • in the short … Read more

Government Response

The government welcomes the recommendations and highlights the British Business Bank's new Strategic Plan and existing programmes, such as Start Up Loans, which embed diversity and inclusion to support female entrepreneurs. It commits to continue working with partners to build a more inclusive finance environment but does not explicitly address the specific Innovate UK actions.

Government Equalities Office

10 Conclusion Rejected

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Government Industrial and SME Strategies failed to include specific support for female-led businesses.

The Industrial Strategy and SME Strategy were ideal opportunities for the Government to launch the systemic change required to unlock the enormous potential that female-led businesses can offer. It is deeply disappointing that neither strategy contained any specific measures to … Read more

Government Response

The government rejects the conclusion, stating that women-led businesses are central to the economy and their interests are embedded into mainstream policies and existing strategies. They emphasize that women were included in the SME Strategy through policies for under-represented entrepreneurs and the British Business Bank’s Strategic Plan.

Government Equalities Office

11 Recommendation Rejected

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Require Government to develop and publish an ambitious strategy for advancing female entrepreneurship.

The Government should develop and publish an ambitious strategy for advancing female entrepreneurship to sit alongside and complement the existing Industrial Strategy and SME Strategy. This strategy should be published within 12 months. It should be developed in consultation with … Read more

Government Response

The government rejects the recommendation for a separate strategy for female entrepreneurship, stating they believe collective commitment and embedding women-led businesses into mainstream policies and existing strategies is more effective. They cite various existing initiatives and programmes that support female-led businesses.

Government Equalities Office

12 Conclusion Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Establish a dedicated Minister and Office in DBT to oversee women's business strategy.

The strategy should be overseen by a dedicated Minister and Office within the Department for Business and Trade akin to the US Office of Women’s Business Ownership, with an assigned budget and responsibility for driving implementation of the strategy, and … Read more

Government Response

The government deflects the recommendation for a dedicated Minister and Office to oversee strategy, instead mentioning a Call for Evidence on tax incentives for business founders, which is unrelated to the proposed governance structure.

Government Equalities Office

13 Recommendation Accepted in Part

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Set a 10% target for public contracts awarded to female-led businesses by Parliament end.

The Government should set itself a target for the proportion of public contracts awarded to female-led businesses similar to initiatives in Canada, the US and Nordic countries. Given the low base we suggest a target of at least 10% by … Read more

Government Response

The government accepts in part, stating that central government departments must set three-year targets for direct spend with SMEs and two-year targets for VCSEs, which they claim will benefit female-led businesses. However, they do not commit to a specific target for female-led businesses as recommended.

Government Equalities Office

14 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Gender imbalance among angel investors limits growth of female-led businesses.

Angel investment is a vital lifeline for early-stage female-led businesses, particularly in sectors where institutional funding remains elusive. While recent growth in angel investment for women-led ventures is encouraging, the gender imbalance among angel investors continues to limit progress. Increasing … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledges the role of institutional investors and is addressing investment gaps through initiatives like the Mansion House Accord and the British Growth Partnership. It highlights the Invest in Women Taskforce and the Women Backing Women Fund of Funds, which are channeling institutional capital from various partners into female-led venture funds and businesses.

Government Equalities Office

15 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Insufficient funding for female entrepreneurs and lack of transparency in Regional Angel Programme.

We welcome the increase in funding to the British Business Bank’s Regional Angel Programme. However, we are not reassured that a sufficient proportion of the funding will go to addressing the market failure in support for female entrepreneurs and we … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees with unlocking potential and describes a £100 million expansion of the British Business Bank's innovation clusters program, alongside other initiatives like the UKEF Female Founder Export Accelerator. Critically, the British Business Bank's Investor Pathways Capital initiative will target at least 50% of its investment towards female fund managers.

Government Equalities Office

16 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Ringfence 30% of Regional Angel Programme funding for female investors and businesses; publish data.

We call on the British Business Bank to ringfence a minimum of 30% of Regional Angel Programme funding for supporting female angel investors and investment in female-led businesses across the regions and to publish data on take-up by gender. The … Read more

Government Response

The government deflects the specific recommendation for the British Business Bank's Regional Angel Programme, instead highlighting the recently announced UKEF Female Founder Export Accelerator, which aims to support women-led businesses in scaling internationally through workshops, mentoring, and funding pathways.

Government Equalities Office

17 Recommendation Accepted in Part

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Awareness and take-up of SEIS/EIS tax incentives remain low among women investors.

Tax incentives such as SEIS and EIS have proven effective in stimulating investment. Yet awareness, accessibility and take-up remain lower among women investors and outside of the South East. To achieve meaningful change, government and industry must work together to … Read more

Government Response

The government is working with the Invest in Women Taskforce to amplify awareness of EIS/SEIS schemes to eligible women-led businesses. Additionally, it has launched a Call for Evidence on the effectiveness of existing tax incentives and the wider tax system for businesses, which will close in February 2026.

Government Equalities Office

18 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Launch a Female Enterprise Investment Scheme with higher incentives for women-led businesses.

The Government should launch a Female Enterprise Investment Scheme to sit alongside the EIS and SEIS, with higher incentives to specifically drive investment in women-led businesses. People who invest in women-led businesses should receive greater benefits. Existing biases in the … Read more

Government Response

The government supports the goal of promoting investment in women-led businesses but believes this is best achieved by amplifying existing industry-led initiatives like the Invest in Women Taskforce, rather than launching a new Female Enterprise Investment Scheme.

Government Equalities Office

19 Recommendation Rejected

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Remove the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) age limit on eligibility entirely.

The Government should remove entirely the age limit on eligibility for the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). The existing seven-year threshold does not adequately reflect the structural and social challenges faced by many 55 female founders, including longer growth trajectories typical … Read more

Government Response

The government rejected the recommendation, explaining that the current 7-year age limit for EIS effectively targets early-stage, high-risk companies, and expanding it would risk displacing investment from these companies.

Government Equalities Office

20 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Launch campaign to raise awareness of SEIS, EIS, and FEIS among investors and entrepreneurs.

The government should launch a campaign to increase awareness of the SEIS, EIS and proposed FEIS schemes among investors and female entrepreneurs. The campaign should be appropriately tailored to ensure underrepresented groups of women are aware of the schemes. The … Read more

Government Response

The government's response discusses a review of parental leave and pay for self-employed parents, completely unrelated to the recommendation to launch a campaign increasing awareness of investment schemes and collect associated data.

Government Equalities Office

21 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Significant gap in support for female entrepreneurs scaling businesses due to lack of capital.

There is a clear gap in support for female entrepreneurs who wish to scale their business or even to make it sustainable, particularly those whose businesses do not fall within those sectors of the economy considered ‘high growth’. We believe … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledged the value of unlocking potential and detailed existing initiatives and programmes, including a £100 million expansion (of an unspecified fund, possibly related to the British Business Bank), that aim to support female entrepreneurs and address access to finance barriers.

Government Equalities Office

22 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Urge institutional investors to increase support for female-led businesses and the Invest in Women Taskforce.

Institutional investors, including major banks and pension funds, are a key component of the funding landscape. We call on them to do much more to support female-led businesses, including through supporting the Invest in Women Taskforce. (Recommendation, Paragraph 87) Read more

Government Response

The government accepts this recommendation, stating it is addressing the issue through the Mansion House Accord and British Growth Partnership, coordinating with the Invest in Women Taskforce, and securing commitments from institutional investors to the Women Backing Women Fund of Funds. They are actively working to bring additional Mansion House signatories on board in 2026.

Government Equalities Office

23 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Require Government update on steps to secure investor support for the Invest in Women Taskforce.

The Government should update us in its response to this Report on the steps it is taking through its convening powers to get those investors, particularly the signatories of the Mansion House Accord, to support the Taskforce. (Recommendation, Paragraph 88) … Read more

Government Response

The government's response details its plans for childcare provision and reform, including a Department for Education review, Tax-Free Childcare, and the National Wraparound Childcare programme, which is unrelated to the recommendation about convening investors to support the Taskforce.

Government Equalities Office

24 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Insufficient support and opportunities exist for female founders outside the ‘Golden Triangle’.

There is a lack of pitch events, accelerators, networks and mentorship opportunities for female founders. Many that do exist tend to be focused on the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Cambridge, Oxford and London, limiting the growth potential of businesses in other … Read more

Government Response

The government has committed to strengthening financial education in the curriculum, with revised content to be taught from September 2028, to increase financial confidence in girls and enhance future female entrepreneurship.

Government Equalities Office

25 Conclusion Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Regional mentorship programmes for founders are too small-scale to drive national growth.

We received compelling evidence on the value of tailored mentorship programmes and support both for investors and founders. More regional initiatives are being developed but, while these are extremely welcome, 56 we are concerned that they are too small in … Read more

Government Response

The government's response details reforms to the STEM curriculum and highlights existing STEM initiatives like the Tomorrow’s Engineers Code and STEM Ambassadors programme, which is unrelated to the recommendation for a national mentorship programme for female founders and investors.

Government Equalities Office

26 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Establish a large-scale nationwide programme supporting female founders to sustain and scale businesses.

As part of a new Strategy for Female Entrepreneurship, the Government should establish a large-scale nationwide programme dedicated to supporting female founders across all sectors to sustain and scale up their businesses. The programme should offer mentorship, sponsorship, coaching and … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees on the value of supporting female founders and works with the British Business Bank and Metro Mayors, highlighting existing and new initiatives like the UKEF Female Founder Export Accelerator and the Investor Pathways Capital initiative, which targets at least 50% of investment to female fund managers, along with a £100 million expansion of the Bank's regional funds.

Government Equalities Office

27 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Develop a programme promoting targeted, female-focused accelerators in underrepresented high-growth sectors.

The Government should develop a specific programme of promoting targeted, female-focused accelerators in high growth sectors where women are underrepresented. Such a measure was noticeably missing from the Industrial Strategy. (Recommendation, Paragraph 111) Read more

Government Response

The government has accepted the recommendation, announcing the launch of the UKEF Female Founder Export Accelerator in partnership with Lifted Ventures, commencing in January 2026. This programme is specifically designed to support women-led businesses in high-growth sectors to scale internationally.

Government Equalities Office

28 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Develop specific entrepreneurial support programmes for women in postgraduate and postdoctoral studies.

Universities are a vital source of innovative start-ups, but evidence to this inquiry suggests women are less likely to take up entrepreneurship courses and/or develop spinouts than their male peers. This is a missed opportunity for growth. The Government should … Read more

Government Response

The government has accepted the recommendation, outlining new entrepreneurship fellowships, £25 million for doctoral training schemes, a £4.5 million round of Women in Innovation Awards, and specific women-led Discover and ICURe Explore programmes, all designed to support female entrepreneurs in postgraduate and postdoctoral studies.

Government Equalities Office

29 Recommendation Accepted in Part

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Launch a national campaign highlighting female role models and promoting the Invest in Women Hub.

Alongside a strategy on female entrepreneurship, the Government should launch a national campaign highlighting female role models at all stages of the entrepreneurial journey. It also needs to better promote the Invest in Women Hub. (Recommendation, Paragraph 113) Caregiving and … Read more

Government Response

The government supports showcasing female role models and promoting the Invest in Women Hub, stating it will achieve this by amplifying industry-led initiatives and coordinating efforts with existing taskforces and the Hub, rather than launching its own national campaign.

Government Equalities Office

30 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Review maternity legislation for self-employed women and tailor policies to support entrepreneurial aspirations.

Self-employed women (and those employed via their small business) are poorly served by the UK’s parental leave arrangements. As part of its Parental Leave and Pay Review, the Government should review legislation 57 pertaining to maternity through the lens of … Read more

Government Response

The government confirms its Parental Leave and Pay review, launched on 1 July 2025 and running for 18 months, will consider parental leave and pay for all parents, including the self-employed, and assess fairness and equality across employment statuses, directly addressing the recommendation.

Government Equalities Office

31 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Increase Maternity Allowance for self-employed mothers and permit more Keeping In Touch days.

We acknowledge the Government’s desire to protect a mother’s time with her baby. As such, we recommend that Maternity Allowance is increased for self-employed mothers in the first six weeks to bring it closer in line with Statutory Maternity Pay. … Read more

Government Response

The government defers action by stating that the recommendation will be considered as part of the Parental Leave and Pay review, which launched in July 2025 and is expected to run for 18 months. Decisions on reform will depend on the review's findings and other factors.

Government Equalities Office

32 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Reclassify Maternity Allowance as earned income for Universal Credit to support self-employed women.

The Department for Work and Pensions should review funding for Universal Credit and reclassify Maternity Allowance so that it is not treated as “unearned income” for the purposes of Universal Credit, so that when self-employed women access it, their Universal … Read more

Government Response

The government deferred the recommendation to reclassify Maternity Allowance for Universal Credit purposes, stating it is within the scope of the Parental Leave and Pay review. The response also explained that Maternity Allowance is currently treated as unearned income due to the means-tested nature of Universal Credit, a policy upheld by court judgments.

Government Equalities Office

33 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Reform to paternity and shared parental leave schemes is long overdue.

We reiterate the conclusions from our report on paternity and shared parental leave. Improved paternity leave and pay and reform to the shared parental scheme is long overdue and would directly benefit female entrepreneurs. (Recommendation, Paragraph 129) Read more

Government Response

The government has deferred action on improving paternity leave and pay and reforming the shared parental scheme, stating these are in scope of a parental leave review launched on 1 July, expected to run for 18 months, after which a roadmap for potential reforms will be developed.

Government Equalities Office

34 Conclusion Acknowledged

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Caregiving responsibilities and childcare costs remain significant barriers to female entrepreneurship.

Caregiving responsibilities and the cost and availability of childcare remain significant, yet often overlooked, barriers to female entrepreneurship. Women are disproportionately affected by the demands of caregiving, which limits their time, income, and ability to scale their businesses, particularly during … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledged the conclusion regarding caregiving responsibilities and childcare costs as barriers, outlining a forthcoming Department for Education review of childcare provision, existing schemes like Tax-Free Childcare, and the National Wraparound Childcare program, while also mentioning future plans for nannies.

Government Equalities Office

35 Conclusion Not Addressed

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Current tax and support systems fail to accommodate self-employed mothers adequately.

Current tax and support systems are largely designed for traditional employment models and fail to accommodate the realities of self- employment and entrepreneurship. This not only places an unfair financial burden on entrepreneurial mothers but also reinforces outdated assumptions about … Read more

Government Response

The government's response did not directly address the conclusion regarding the design of tax and support systems for self-employment and entrepreneurship, instead focusing primarily on existing and future childcare provisions.

Government Equalities Office

36 Recommendation Deferred

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Childcare availability and affordability are crucial for increasing female entrepreneurship rates.

The availability and affordability of childcare must be addressed to increase entrepreneurship rates among women. Making childcare more easily available and affordable would benefit the founding, performance and persistence of female-led businesses, while being vital for reconciling work and family … Read more

Government Response

The government has deferred a comprehensive response, stating the Department for Education will lead a review of childcare provision to simplify the system. The response also highlights existing initiatives like Tax-Free Childcare and the expansion of government-funded childcare, and mentions future plans for nannies will be set out in the coming months.

Government Equalities Office

37 Recommendation Accepted in Part

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Review adequacy of childcare support for self-employed mothers, including tax deductibility and flexibility.

The Government should undertake a review of the adequacy of existing childcare support for self-employed mothers. That review should consider: the potential merits of making childcare a tax-deductible expense, if only 58 for an initial period; expanding free hours of … Read more

Government Response

The government confirms the Department for Education will lead a review of childcare provision to simplify the system and highlights existing Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) for self-employed parents. However, it does not explicitly commit the review to the specific considerations for self-employed mothers, such as tax-deductibility or 0-3 month nannying, and states no current plans to regulate nannies.

Government Equalities Office

38 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Significant gap in financial and enterprise education hinders young entrepreneurs.

Young people in the UK show strong entrepreneurial ambition, yet a lack of financial education and awareness hinders their ability to turn aspirations into viable businesses. While initiatives like Young Enterprise and Talk Learn Do demonstrate the positive impact of … Read more

Government Response

The government commits to strengthening financial education in the curriculum with a revised content plan for 2027 and implementation by September 2028, directly addressing the identified gaps and need for earlier provision to build foundational skills and confidence.

Government Equalities Office

39 Conclusion Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Gap in financial and enterprise education disproportionately affects young women.

This gap disproportionately affects young women, who will face greater barriers in accessing networks, mentorship, and funding, and whose confidence drops as they progress through education. Embedding enterprise and financial literacy skills into the curriculum is essential to creating a … Read more

Government Response

The government is committed to strengthening financial education in the curriculum, with revised content planned for publication by 2027 and teaching from September 2028, directly addressing the identified importance of embedding these skills.

Government Equalities Office

40 Recommendation Accepted

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Increase provision of financial and enterprise education in schools, boosting girls' confidence.

The Government should work to increase the provision and relevance of financial and enterprise education in schools and to ensure that it is delivered as a core part of the curriculum. Seeking to increase the financial confidence of girls should … Read more

Government Response

The government has committed to strengthening financial education in mathematics and citizenship as part of a curriculum review, with a public consultation in 2026, content publication by 2027, and teaching from September 2028. This work will also consider how to increase the financial confidence of girls.

Government Equalities Office

41 Recommendation Accepted in Part

8th Report - Female entrepreneursh…

Address gender bias in STEM curriculum and increase female role model visibility.

Women and girls remain underrepresented in STEM subjects and less likely to pursue entrepreneurship in this field. The Government and higher education institutes should work to address gender bias in curriculum design in STEM subjects and strive to increase the … Read more

Government Response

The Department for Education is reforming the curriculum to embed diverse scientists and innovators, addressing gender bias in STEM subjects. The government also points to its partnership with the Tomorrow’s Engineers Code and the long-running STEM Ambassadors programme, which includes 48% women volunteers, to increase role model visibility.

Government Equalities Office

Government Response AI assessment · 41 of 25 classified

Accepted 16

Accepted in Part 6

Deferred 11

Not Addressed 1

Rejected 3

Total 25 recs + 16 conclusions

Correspondence 1 letter

3 Sep 2025 Correspondence from the Minister for Investment, Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury and the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, Department for Business and Trade, dated 20.08.2025

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