To celebrate International Women’s Day, insurance company Simply Business have revealed which cities are home to the most female business owners, and which professions are the most popular amongst female entrepreneurs.
It will come as no surprise that London tops the list – the capital is an attractive place for business full-stop, whether female or male owned. But London aside, the Midlands and the North dominate the list with Birmingham and Leicester occupying second and third place respectively, and Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield all making the top ten.
The 10 UK cities with the most female business owners and tradespeople
- London
- Birmingham
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- Bristol
- Edinburgh
- Manchester
- Glasgow
- Exeter
- Sheffield
Varied occupations
The report also revealed the most common professions amongst female entrepreneurs. Teaching, cafes & restaurants and hair & beauty businesses have all seen growth over the last 4 years, but the fastest growing sector by far was accounting. Other areas enjoying major growth were business consultancy, marketing, and various IT-related professions.
Compared to 2014, there are now 16 times the number of female accounts in the UK.
Significant contribution to the UK economy
Fiona McSwein, Chief Customer Officer at Simply Business, was excited to acknowledge female entrepreneurs, especially as this report coincides with the 100th anniversary of women being given the right to vote:
“Their hard work, expertise and commitment contributes significantly to the UK economy, and it is important that they are supported and encouraged as they grow their businesses.”
“Our data shows the fantastic variety of career paths female entrepreneurs have chosen – from accountants and IT contractors to beauticians and market traders. At Simply Business we are so proud to insure the success of female-run businesses up and down the country.”
