NatWest has reinforced its position as one of the UK’s most active backers of female-led businesses after surpassing its £2 billion lending pledge well ahead of schedule, providing £2.84 billion in funding to more than 55,000 women entrepreneurs nationwide.
The achievement highlights the UK bank’s long-term strategy to improve access to finance for women in business, an area that has historically suffered from under-representation and funding gaps. Since launching its Women in Business programme in 2012, NatWest has combined lending with tailored support, specialist advice and partnerships designed to help women start, grow and scale their businesses.
In total, NatWest has delivered more than 55,900 business loans to female-led firms, with an average loan size of £50,700. Funding has supported businesses across a wide range of sectors, with the strongest demand seen in health, leisure, commercial real estate, retail and professional services. The bank said this diversity reflects the growing economic footprint of women-run companies across the UK.
Support is delivered through a national network of more than 1,000 Women in Business specialists, who provide guidance on finance, growth planning and resilience. NatWest has also embedded female entrepreneurship into its wider ecosystem, with more than half of founders supported by its accelerator programmes now being women.
Robert Begbie, CEO of NatWest Commercial & Institutional, said the early success of the lending pledge demonstrates both demand and confidence among women entrepreneurs. “Surpassing our £2bn investment target ahead of schedule shows the strength and ambition of female-led companies,” he said, adding that the bank’s commitment extends beyond lending to long-term backing and advocacy.
NatWest’s support goes beyond traditional finance. The bank has worked with partners such as Everywoman, Meta, Buy Women Built and Getty Images to provide mentoring, digital skills training, marketing support and greater visibility for female founders. It has also played a role in national initiatives including the Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship and the Investing in Women Code, aimed at improving transparency and accountability in business lending.
Looking ahead, NatWest said it will continue to expand its support for female-led businesses through dedicated funding, specialist programmes and partnerships, reinforcing its role in helping women entrepreneurs thrive across the UK economy.
Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as The Sunday Times, BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
Under Richard’s leadership, the Good Money Guide has evolved into a valuable destination for comprehensive information and expert guidance, specialising in trading, investment, and currency exchange. His commitment to delivering high-quality insights has solidified the Good Money Guide’s standing as a well-respected resource for both customers and industry colleagues.
To contact Richard, please ask a question in our financial discussion forum.
