An independent new initiative, The Maple Review, has launched with support from the UK Government.
It aims to identify and break down the economic barriers that prevent many people – particularly young people from disadvantaged backgrounds – from starting their own businesses or becoming self-employed.
Spearheaded by Small Business Britain and backed by accounting software provider Xero, the Maple Review will gather insight into how economic disadvantage holds back potential entrepreneurs.
A full report is expected by spring 2026, with recommendations for policymakers, business leaders and support organisations.
Find out more at maplereview.uk.
Why now?
According to the Review’s organisers, nearly 40% of young people in the UK live in poverty, creating barriers to education, finance and networks – all of which are crucial for starting a business.
The Maple Review aims to understand these challenges and propose practical steps to make entrepreneurship more accessible.
It also comes at a time when social mobility is said to be at a 50-year low, and when the idea of working for yourself is increasingly seen as a way out of low-paid or unstable employment.
While many initiatives have promised similar outcomes in the past, there’s reason to be hopeful that this one may lead to something more substantial.
What will the Maple Review actually do?
The first stage is a research phase, involving surveys, roundtables and direct input from people with lived experience of economic disadvantage. It’s chaired jointly by the Minister for Small Business, along with leaders from the private and third sectors.
The findings will feed into a policy report due in 2026 – aimed at driving change across the public and private sector.
It’s too early to say what impact this will have, but at the very least, it brings the issue of inclusive entrepreneurship further up the agenda.
A supportive, but realistic response from the small business world
At Bytestart, we welcome efforts to improve access to self-employment and small business ownership. But experience tells us to stay pragmatic.
- Plenty of previous reviews have had limited follow-through once the headlines fade.
- Barriers like access to finance, tax complexity and regulatory red tape still affect business owners at all levels – not just those starting out.
- Spring 2026 is some distance away. For many new founders, help is needed now, not next year.
That said, bringing together government, business and real entrepreneurs is a positive sign. If the Maple Review produces actionable, practical recommendations – and avoids getting stuck in policy speak – it could help create a fairer environment for those taking their first steps into self-employment.
As ever, the devil will be in the detail
Making entrepreneurship more accessible is a welcome ambition. But the UK’s existing self-employed and small business community still faces daily challenges – from late payments to rising costs and ongoing uncertainty around tax rules.
We’ll be following the Maple Review’s progress with interest – and hoping it leads to lasting, practical support for the next wave of business owners.
Learn more
You can follow the initiative and read updates at https://maplereview.uk
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