Sibstar CEO Calls for Greater Financial Inclusion and Female Founder Support in Autumn Budget

Jayne Sibley, CEO and Co-Founder of Sibstar, has called on the UK government to back its Financial Inclusion Strategy with concrete funding following the Autumn Budget. For the fintech sector, this highlights a critical gap between high-level policy and the practical delivery of tools designed to protect the millions of UK adults currently facing financial vulnerability.

What was announced

Jayne Sibley's response to the Autumn Budget focused on two primary pillars: the protection of financially vulnerable households and the systemic underfunding of female-led enterprises. While acknowledging the government’s efforts to reduce household energy bills and adjust Carer's Allowance, Sibley emphasized that around half of UK adults exhibit characteristics of financial vulnerability. She argued that traditional banking products frequently lack the necessary flexibility, such as real-time alerts, spending limits, and instant card freezes, which allow users to maintain independence while staying protected from harm.

On the entrepreneurial front, Sibley highlighted the British Business Bank’s decision to double its commitment to women-led businesses to £200 million. This move addresses a stark disparity where businesses founded entirely by women received just 2% of UK equity investment in 2025. Sibley noted that removing barriers to scaling female-led businesses could potentially unlock £310 billion in annual economic output for the UK. She urged the government to ensure that the Invest in Women Taskforce translates these high-level commitments into accessible capital for founders who have historically been sidelined by traditional investment routes.

"Measures to ease cost-of-living pressures, including reductions to household energy bills and changes to Carer's Allowance, are welcome, particularly for financially vulnerable households. But more needs to be done to ensure these people have access to the safeguards they need to manage their money safely and independently, just like everyone else. Financial inclusion must remain a priority, otherwise we risk leaving vulnerable customers behind."

Jayne Sibley, CEO and Co-Founder of Sibstar

The companies involved

Sibstar is a fintech company specifically designed to support individuals living with dementia and other forms of financial vulnerability. The company provides a specialized debit card and app that allows caregivers and family members to set spending limits and monitor transactions, ensuring the user retains financial autonomy without the risk of significant loss or exploitation. Sibstar gained significant public attention following an appearance on the investment program Dragons' Den, which provided the capital necessary to scale its operations to reach thousands of families across the UK.

As a specialist player in the inclusive banking space, Sibstar operates at the intersection of social impact and financial technology. The firm has positioned itself as a necessary bridge for those who find mainstream banking services too rigid or unsafe for their specific needs. By focusing on features like real-time notifications and granular control over card usage, the company addresses a market segment that is often underserved by larger, legacy financial institutions.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has followed Sibstar’s growth as it expands its footprint through strategic partnerships with major financial institutions. In 2026, the company secured a significant deal as Santander UK Partners with Sibstar to Protect Financially Vulnerable Customers, followed by a similar move where Sibstar and Cater Allen Private Bank Partner to Enhance Inclusive Banking for Vulnerable Customers. Prior to these institutional collaborations, the firm sought community backing, as Sibstar Launches Crowdfunding Campaign on Crowdcube to Boost Financial Inclusion in early 2025. The company also strengthened its leadership team when Sibstar Appoints GoHenry Co-Founder and CEO Louise Hill as Non-Executive Director in late 2024.

What this means

This announcement underscores a growing tension in the UK fintech landscape: the disconnect between the government's stated Financial Inclusion Strategy and the actual capital flow required to implement it. While the £200 million commitment from the British Business Bank is a step forward, it remains a fraction of the total equity market, leaving female founders under immense pressure to prove viability with limited resources. For the wider sector, the focus on financial vulnerability suggests that "one-size-fits-all" banking is becoming a reputational risk. Banks that fail to integrate specialized safeguards may find themselves losing ground to agile, mission-driven fintechs that prioritize safety over transaction volume.