Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
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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The British Business Bank’s Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26 report has found that gross SME bank lending increased by 9% to £68bn in 2025, making it the second highest level in the past 13 years after 2020’s covid peak, as credit conditions eased gradually through the year. Business dynamism is showing signs of improvement, with…
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UK Finance’s latest Business Finance Review shows that gross business lending by the high street banks increased from £16.1 billion to £17.5 billion in 2025 compared to 2024. In the final quarter of 2025, gross lending was £4.6 billion, the eighth consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth. The increase in lending in 2025 was strongest amongst…
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Following growth of 6.9% (net) in 2025, bank-to-business lending is forecast to slow to 3.5% (net growth) this year, as global and economic headwinds impact business confidence and reduce investment demand, according to the latest EY ITEM Club Bank Lending Forecast. While falling interest rates helped boost business lending last year to the highest level since…
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New analysis of small business loan activity in Q4 2025 has shown that overall demand for funding is levelling off despite diverging trends in construction and manufacturing according to Purbeck Insurance Services. Borrowing behaviour also remained defensive. Working capital to support cash flow continued to be the dominant reason for finance in Q4 2025, with…
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High street banks’ lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) slowed in the third quarter of 2025, according to UK Finance, reaching £4.2 billion. Year-on-year growth dropped to 6.4%, down from 8.3% in the previous quarter and 14% in Q1. This marks the slowest growth since banks resumed lending to SMEs in early 2024. UK…
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New research has revealed that while SME confidence in Government remains fairly lukewarm, this support is fragile in the face of mounting economic pressures and uncertainty – and may well turn sour without urgent action on tax and costs at the Autumn Budget. The survey of 1,000 SME leaders and decision makers, commissioned by FTSE…
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New research by challenger business, Allica Bank, has shown a sharp rise in broker confidence for the months ahead. Though just over 18% expressed concern for the next six months, over half (51.2%) of brokers said they had a positive outlook, a significant increase on Quarter 4, when confidence was just 24%. A further 30%…
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New data from Millbrook Business Finance has found that four in ten (35%) said access to affordable finance is one of their biggest challenges. The survey data asked SMEs what the single biggest challenge facing their business right now, with 14% highlighting rising operational costs, whilst 14% noted economic uncertainty, and 13% cited late payments. A…
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New research by Capital on Tap has found that 46% of business owners don’t have a business credit card, with 54% of consumers actively avoiding them For business owners, cash flow management is the main purpose of a credit card, with 80% highlighting this as their reason for use. Employee-related expenses such as payroll and…
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UK Finance’s latest Business Finance Review shows that SME lending by the main high street banks increased by 8 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 to £4.24 billion, compared with the same period last year. Within this total, gross lending to small businesses (with a turnover of up to £2 million) increased the…
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Almost two-thirds (61%) of SME finance brokers report submitting over half of their loan applications to alternative lenders in the last four weeks, according to research by Iwoca. Iwoca says that the shift underlines a change in business attitudes, with demand for modern, tailored financial solutions now outpacing traditional banking options. Speed of decision-making is…
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