Three quarters of mid-sized businesses feel overlooked by Government

Britain’s mid-sized businesses continue to feel overlooked ahead of the Autumn Budget, with more than seven in ten (71%) saying it is hard to find support tailored to their scale. The research, published as part of specialist lender Shawbrook’s M Agenda insight series, shows the proportion of firms struggling to access tailored backing has risen from 65% in Autumn 2025.

This lack of dedicated support sits alongside broader frustration with national policy. More than three-quarters (77%) of mid-sized business leaders continue to feel overlooked by Government policies, a view virtually unchanged from 78% in late 2025, suggesting a long-standing gap between national policymakers and the mid-market.

When asked what would bolster their confidence in the wider policy environment, the most prominent response was the desire for more stable, longer-term policy that does not change at every Budget (50%). A similar proportion (49%) stated that greater recognition of medium-sized businesses within the Government’s national growth strategy would improve confidence, while 41% pointed to direct consultation with firms like theirs before major policy shifts are introduced.

Senior decision-makers also highlighted simpler access to existing Government schemes (39%) and more consistent regulation across sectors (37%) as key measures needed to strengthen confidence in the policy landscape.

Despite this, mid-sized firms remain ambitious, with more than nine in ten (92%) planning to invest in their business over the next 12 months, up from 80% in Autumn 2025. Over half (54%) also agree that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has good policies for firms of their scale.

Neil Rudge, Chief Banking Officer at Shawbrook, said “Mid-sized businesses are doing a lot of the heavy lifting for the UK economy. They make up fewer than 1% of UK companies, yet they carry an outsized share of the country’s jobs and turnover, and they’re not slowing down: more than nine in ten (92%) plan to invest in their business over the next 12 months, up from 80% a year ago.

“They can also be easy to overlook, because support is often designed with start-ups or big corporates in mind, and more than three-quarters still feel overlooked by Government policy. They’ve been clear about what would help: policy that doesn’t shift at every Budget, recognition in the national growth strategy and a say before big decisions are made. Over half think the Prime Minister has good policies for firms like theirs, which is a solid foundation. With the Budget just days away, it’s a chance to make sure the middle is firmly in view, so this growth can continue.”