Last month saw the launch of the Lovelace Report, a landmark collaboration between WeAreTechWomen and global consultancy Oliver Wyman.
According to the report, the tech industry loses between £2 billion and £3.5 billion annually through a broken career framework that’s driving out talent across the board, with women bearing the heaviest cost. It claims that today, only about 20% of UK tech workers are women – this is compared to around 25% of the games workforce being women, according to various surveys in the UK and beyond.
The ongoing talent drain hits the UK at its most critical moment, says the report. The sector is already short 98,000 to 120,000 professionals and will need to double or triple capacity in the years ahead to meet demand across AI, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure.
This steady exodus creates a devastating economic drain, reveals the data, and consists of approximately 40,000 to 60,000 women each year leaving their tech and digital roles, either by exiting the industry altogether or moving to a new tech employer.
Lack of advancement opportunity was cited as the primary driver for leaving (25%), followed closely by lack of recognition (17%), inadequate pay (15%), dissatisfaction with company culture and working conditions (8%), and absence of role models or a supportive network (8%) which hampers advancement.
An estimated £1.4 billion to £2.2 billion is lost every year from women leaving the industry, plus another £640 million to £1.3 billion “squandered from the churn of women switching employers for a new tech role”, resulting in productivity losses, costly onboarding, endless recruitment cycles, and limiting the potential of the industry.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that the number of men in the UK information and communication sector has increased by about 11.5% over the last five years, while the number of women has decreased by approximately 7%. Moreover, in 2024 the rate at which women left the UK information and communication sector was more than double that of men.
Dr. Vanessa Vallely OBE, CEO and Founder of WeAreTechWomen, said: “The UK tech sector has no shortage of ambition, but without women, we fall short of our full potential. This report makes it clear: Gender equity in tech isn’t a ‘nice to have’ — it’s a business imperative. Women are already leading transformation, shaping innovation, and building the digital future. Now is the time to break the outdated models that hold them back. The path forward is clear. Let’s act and ensure no woman is left behind in tech’s next chapter.”
You can download the full report here.
