Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
More than 40,000 UK SMEs are expected to rely on finance-providers to help stay afloat amid challenges around rising costs, according to research from fintech lender Nucleus Commercial Finance (NCF).
While 15% of firms with 10 to 249 employees expect to need a loan to support the running of their business, just 1% of sole traders anticipate having to borrow.
The poll found that three quarters of SMEs say they are worried about the prospect of rising business costs over the next 12 months, with 29% saying they are very worried, according to the survey of 512 senior decision-makers at UK SMEs.
It was also found that just 38% of businesses are confident about being able to access affordable finance in the next year, with the proportion falling to less than a quarter among sole traders.
NCF Chief Executive Chirag Shah said ‘UK SMEs have been through the ringer over the past couple of years. Covid pushed many to the brink, and just as they are getting back on their feet, their costs are rising exponentially the year ahead could prove to be one of the toughest.”
“But businesses are not on their own. Having gone through the challenges of Covid, finance-providers and government must work together to ensure that those lessons are learnt to deliver the necessary support. Doing so means that the UK’s battle-hardened SMEs can lead the recovery on the other side.”