Small Business Survey Scotland: 2024-2025

Women-led SME employers

• 15 per cent of women-led SME employers exported overseas (compared to 10 per cent equally led, 19 per cent with women in the minority and 12 per cent entirely male-led)
• 23 per cent of women-led SME employers sought finance in the previous 12 months, above the average of 15 per cent, and compared to 12 per cent for equally led, 10 per cent women in the minority and 16 per cent entirely male led
• 63 per cent of women-led SME employers made a profit/surplus in the last financial year (compared to 84 per cent equally led, 72 per cent with women in the minority and 77 per cent entirely male-led)
• The most reported obstacles to the business success of women-led SME employers in Cohort B were level of energy prices (71 per cent), taxation, VAT, PAYE, National Insurance, Business rates (56 per cent) – the same top two as for in Cohort B overall