Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Business lending growth is forecast to more than halve from 5.3% last year to 2.1% this year, then rise modestly to 2.8% in 2027, according to a new EY UK Bank Lending Outlook analysis. Higher costs and economic uncertainty weigh on investment demand. From 2027, stronger spending on AI and wider digital technology is expected…
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New analysis by Purbeck Insurance of personal guarantee-backed small business loans shows how the rising cost of doing business over the past 18 months (notably the increase in National Insurance contributions) has led to an increase in the value of loans taken on by small business owners, outpacing the value of the family home in…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) grew by 2% in July 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. In the first seven months of 2026, new business was 6% higher than in the same period last year. Growth was…
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Gross lending to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) hit £5.35 billion in the second quarter of this year, its highest level since the pandemic, UK Finance’s latest Business Finance Review found. SME lending has shown growth for two and a half years, with gross lending more than 26 per cent higher than in the same…
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Bank lending to small businesses across Great Britain falls £27bn in three years, with nine in 10 postcode sectors receiving less finance. The data has revealed a sustained and widespread decline in high street bank lending to UK small businesses, with total outstanding SME credit falling to its lowest level in more than a decade.…
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A review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has found no evidence that its regulation is a major barrier to SME access to finance. Many of the challenges identified relate to wider market, information and capability challenges. The review found that the challenges are often greatest for microbusinesses, which make up 95.5% of all SMEs…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) grew by 15% in June 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. In the first half of 2026, new business was 7% higher than in the same period last year. Growth was broad-based…
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Flexible finance, including small business credit cards, remains the most frequently used type of borrowing among UK SMEs, according to the British Business Bank however, research by Purbeck has warned that most directors sign up for this everyday form of finance without realising it carries the same personal risk as a six-figure business loan. The…
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New figures published today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show its members provided £84.3 billion of new lending in the first half of 2026, 5% higher than in the same period last year, helping businesses invest, households make essential purchases and supporting economic growth across the UK. The figures underline the central role…
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Latest research from the Finance & Leasing Association for Q2 has shown an improvement in confidence across the finance and leasing industry, despite continued economic uncertainty. While most respondents (61%) still expected UK economic conditions to weaken over the next 12 months, this was down from 81% in Q1 2026. At the same time, the…
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are missing out on an estimated £54 billion in revenue due to a lack of confidence in accessing external finance, according to new research from broker-lender Portman Finance Group. The research found that 30% of businesses have missed a growth opportunity because of a lack of external finance, with affected…
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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 2% in May 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. In the first five months of 2026, new business was 5% higher than in the same period in 2025. The…
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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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