A new report from Oxford Economics, commissioned by Allica Bank, highlights the powerful role challenger banks play in driving Britain’s economic growth. The report finds that in 2024, Allica Bank’s lending to Britain’s established SMEs supported over 84,000 jobs across the country, contributing £5.8bn to the economy and delivering £1.4bn in tax revenues. The research reveals how a new […]
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 […]
New data published today by leading alternative lender ThinCats shows that ahead of the chancellor’s Budget later this month, confidence among small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the government’s ability to create an environment for growth has dropped in the past year, slipping from almost half of businesses (49%) to 39% today. While confidence […]
Ahead of the Autumn Budget, with small business owners already worried about the prospect of tax hikes, 53% of UK small business owners say they need to secure funding or finance in order to invest in growth plans for 2026. The need for finance is most acutely felt in London (65%) – the engine-room of […]
A new report released today at Web Summit, Lisbon, by one of the UK’s fastest growing fintech lenders, Juice, uncovers the hidden behavioural forces driving the UK’s £65bn SME funding gap, and how lenders, fintechs, and policymakers must act to close it. The report, “Borrowing Blind: Inside the Confidence Gaps Holding Back UK SMEs and […]
The report, from NatWest and Mettle by NatWest, reveals that 17% of aspiring entrepreneurs believe a lack of sales and marketing skills is the primary barrier to starting their own business. This highlights a key area for training and development to support new business ventures. The research, covering 1,000 aspiring business owners in the UK, shows that other […]
Strategic actions continue to deliver strong financial performance Continued growth in underlying and statutory profitability, reaffirming all guidance for FY 2025 and beyond 12% growth in target lending segments versus H1 2025 as asset rotation strategy continues at pace Credit quality remains strong with the portfolio highly collateralised and prudently provisioned Exit Net Interest Margin at September 2025 […]
UK accounting firms are making major investments in artificial intelligence, with nearly half (48%) planning to spend between £50,000 and £100,000 on AI over the next 12 months, according to new research from Ravical. The research, which polled 500 senior decision makers within UK accountancy firms employing at least 25 people, points to a turning point […]
Simply Asset Finance has joined the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB) as a Patron lender, further strengthening its commitment to supporting professional brokers across the UK’s commercial finance sector with flexible, tailored SME lending products. The new partnership with the NACFB, the UK’s largest independent trade body for commercial finance intermediaries, represents an […]
Zempler, a digital bank serving start-ups and microbusinesses, has today announced a new partnership with iwoca, one of Europe’s leading SME lenders, to expand its SME offering and make business lending more accessible. Available through Zempler’s marketplace, the partnership will allow customers to borrow between £1,000 and £1m with flexible repayment terms. iwoca’s business loans […]
