Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
New data from Purbeck Insurance Services has revealed that applications for personal guarantee-backed finance rose 63% year-on-year in Q2 2026, reflecting sustained and growing demand for borrowing among small and medium-sized businesses. Behind every loan application is a director who has personally guaranteed a business loan, and the scale of that exposure is growing as…
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Business activity in the UK financial services sector has sharply declined, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The net reading for business activity fell from 65 in March to -58 in June. Firms reported deteriorating profitability and cited poor investment returns as a key growth limitation. The quarterly survey also found that sentiment…
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Delayed finance approvals are having a significant impact on the UK’s mid-sized businesses, with more than one in five (22%) losing opportunities to competitors as a result of funding delays, according to new research by Shawbrook. These delays have led to a series of setbacks, with 22% having. to delay significant investment whilst 20% have…
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Bibby Financial Services (BFS) has announced the appointment of Oliver Batley as Head of Sales for its Asset Finance business, as it continues to expand its support for UK SMEs. Batley joins Bibby Asset Finance with nearly 14 years’ experience in asset finance. Most recently, he served as Area Sales Director at Lloyds Banking Group,…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that total asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) grew by 14% in April 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. In the first four months of 2026, new business was 6% higher than in the same period in 2025. The…
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Lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rose 16 per cent year-on-year to £5.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to UK Finance’s Business Finance Review. This was the highest level of SME lending since 2021 and demonstrates both strong demand for SME finance and the continued role of high street bank lenders…
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New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that total asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) grew by 9% in March 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. In Q1 2026, new business was 3% higher than in Q1 2025. The plant and machinery finance sector reported…
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The number of SMEs using some form of credit to pay for one or more insurance policies has significantly increased, according to new research from Premium Credit. The data, which monitors insurance buying and how it is financed, shows 90% of SMEs use some form of credit when they buy insurance, compared with 54% recorded…
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The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted to keep interest rates on hold at 3.75%. At its meeting ending on 29th April 2026, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 8–1 to maintain Bank Rate at 3.75%. One member voted to increase Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4%. The conflict in…
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Awareness of specialist business finance among UK SMEs is on the rise as new search data from Semrush has revealed an increase in online demand for tailored funding solutions such as Asset Finance and Invoice Finance. The latest figures show that searches related to specialist finance have increased over the past 12 months, with Asset…
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New figures on small business lending reveal a 65% surge in applications for Personal Guarantee Insurance in Q1 2026. The data from Purbeck Insurance Services, shows the scale of risk that comes with running a small business, as more directors sought cover in the first quarter of 2026 than at any time previously, each having…
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New data shared by independent SME lender, Time Finance, has shown a significant rise in web searches for Asset Based Lending (ABL), in an encouraging sign business owners’ awareness, appetite and uptake of multi-product finance is on the rise. Analysis of search data from Semrush has shown that average monthly searches for Asset Based Lending…
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Business lender 365 Finance has reported a sharp rise in the demand for funding from high street businesses, with a staggering 43% increase in restaurants opting for revenue-based finance when comparing Q1 2026 in-house data to Q1 2025. Among SMEs in the hospitality industry that increasingly seek finance, the owners of pubs and bars are…
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