Diversity Index – Gender Insights on UK Business Ownership

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Active Companies

5.37M+

Female-Owned Businesses

763K+

Male-Owned Businesses

2.11M+

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Industry
Regions
Risk Profile
Turnover

Most female-owned businesses operate within the lower turnover range, typically up to 500K. A smaller proportion falls in the mid-range turnover brackets between 500K to 5M. Businesses generating higher turnovers are relatively uncommon, with very few exceeding the 1 billion mark.

The majority of male-owned businesses are also concentrated in the lower turnover range. A noticeable number fall between 500K to 5M, but businesses with higher turnover are much less common. Only a limited number of male-owned companies surpass the 1 billion threshold.

* The Percentages & Counts may not add up due to a company being able to trade under multiple SIC Codes.

		Female-Owned Businesses		Male-Owned Businesses
SIC Code	SIC Industry	Count	Percentage	Count	Percentage
A	Agriculture Forestry And Fishing	4,952	0.65%	18,354	0.87%
B	Mining And Quarrying	524	0.07%	3,503	0.17%
C	Manufacturing	24,357	3.19%	99,175	4.69%
D	Electricity Gas Steam And Air Conditioning Supply	533	0.07%	5,114	0.24%
E	Water Supply, Sewerage Waste Management And Remediation Activities	1,171	0.15%	8,202	0.39%
F	Construction	27,459	3.60%	320,071	15.14%
G	Wholesale And Retail Trade; Repair Of Motor Vehicles And Motorcycles	113,867	14.91%	298,661	14.13%
H	Transportation And Storage	14,010	1.83%	83,763	3.96%
I	Accommodation And Food Service Activities	48,038	6.29%	103,168	4.88%
J	Information And Communication	46,721	6.12%	207,354	9.81%
K	Financial And Insurance Activities	15,747	2.06%	76,776	3.63%
L	Real Estate Activities	69,842	9.14%	197,389	9.34%
M	Professional Scientific And Technical Activities	120,335	15.75%	277,849	13.14%
N	Administrative And Support Service Activities	77,274	10.12%	177,766	8.41%
O	Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security	2,644	0.35%	3,556	0.17%
P	Education	24,966	3.27%	26,780	1.27%
Q	Human Health And Social Work Activities	71,368	9.34%	53,486	2.53%
R	Arts Entertainment And Recreation	24,030	3.15%	50,078	2.37%
S	Other Service Activities	64,995	8.51%	85,366	4.04%
T	Activities Of Households As Employers; Undifferentiated Goods- And Services-producing Activities Of Households For Own Use	9,306	1.22%	16,802	0.79%
U	Activities Of Extraterritorial Organisations And Bodies	65	0.01%	234	0.01%

London has the highest concentration of female-owned businesses, followed by regions in the South and East of England. Other regions like the West Midlands, South West, and Yorkshire and The Humber also show notable representation. Female-owned businesses are least represented in Northern Ireland, Wales, and the North East.

Male-owned businesses are most concentrated in London, with strong representation in the South East and North West. The East of England, West Midlands, and South West also contribute significantly. The lowest representation is seen in Northern Ireland, Wales, and the North East.

Region	Female-Owned Businesses		Male-Owned Businesses
Region	Count	Percentage	Count	Percentage
London	219,154	28.69%	534,427	25.28%
North West	73,811	9.66%	218,000	10.32%
South East	102,627	13.44%	284,333	13.45%
West Midlands	63,400	8.30%	170,203	8.05%
East of England	70,738	9.26%	206,107	9.75%
Yorkshire and The Humber	43,343	5.67%	134,203	6.35%
East Midlands	41,456	5.43%	119,990	5.68%
Scotland	35,889	4.70%	106,418	5.03%
South West	47,339	6.20%	139,250	6.59%
North East	16,042	2.10%	51,404	2.43%
Wales	15,431	2.02%	49,195	2.33%
Northern Ireland	11,139	1.46%	36,226	1.71%

Most female-owned businesses fall under the Moderate Risk category, followed by those considered Very Low and Low Risk. A smaller but notable share is classified as Very High Risk, while only a minimal portion is identified as High Risk.

Male-owned businesses are most commonly categorized as Low Risk, with a significant share also falling under Very High and Moderate Risk. Very Low Risk businesses make up a notable portion as well, while High Risk businesses remain relatively few.

Risk Band	Female-Owned Businesses		Male-Owned Businesses
Risk Band	Count	Percentage	Count	Percentage
Very Low Risk	188,282	24.65%	495,498	23.44%
Low Risk	164,399	21.52%	571,279	27.03%
Moderate Risk	252,076	33.01%	499,605	23.63%
High Risk	8,169	1.07%	34,142	1.62%
Very High Risk	150,415	19.69%	513,141	24.28%

Most female-owned businesses fall within the lowest turnover bracket, with fewer operating in the mid-range. High-turnover female-owned businesses are rare, and only a very small number exceed the billion mark.

Male-owned businesses also predominantly operate in the lowest turnover range. A fair number fall into mid-level turnover brackets, while high-turnover businesses remain relatively uncommon. Only a limited few surpass the billion threshold.

Turnover Range	Female-Owned Businesses		Male-Owned Businesses
Turnover Range	Number of Companies	Percentage	Number of Companies	Percentage
1 to 500K	296,572	83.41%	900,886	92.71%
500K to 1M	27,668	7.78%	112,993	11.63%
1M to 5M	26,460	7.44%	128,200	13.19%
5M to 10M	2,750	0.77%	15,930	1.64%
10M to 100M	1,950	0.55%	13,920	1.43%
100M to 500M	61	0.02%	599	0.06%
Greater Than 1B	3	0.00%	21	0.00%