The Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme has been a successful programme to help businesses access finance when they have no security. To open our latest Bulletin, news that ethical lender Robert Owen Community Banking Fund has joined the list of lenders offering access to business finance via EFG.

Following the government’s bailout of RBS in the aftermath of the credit crunch, the first recipients of an RBS-financed £775m fund has been announced. The fund is designed to promote and improve competition in the small business finance market. We look at the first three banks to benefit and their plans.

With Brexit looming, we close with the announcement from UK Finance of a new initiative, ‘Let’s Talk Business’. The campaign is focused on encouraging businesses to engage early with their banks if they are likely to need finance.

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Having a Credit Score at the right level is an important factor when seeking finance. To open this week’s Bulletin, we look at recent research from Experian, the credit reference agency, which reveals the area of the UK which has the highest average business Credit Score. Is it your region?

From launching a pilot online lending platform in 2017, NatWest has announced the formal roll-out of ESME Loans to its customers. We take a look at the levels of business done during the pilot phase and its key features.

To close, having avoided a mention of it in the previous Bulletin, we’re backed to a Brexit-focused story! Lloyds Bank, as part of a monthly Manufacturers survey, has found evidence that businesses may be starting to stockpile in advance of Brexit. What impact can this strategy have on cashflow though?

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.

With the 2018 Budget behind us we open this Bulletin by looking at finance-specific measures. The British Business Bank, the home to the government finance raising schemes, received several boosts from the Chancellor with the aim of securing business access to finance, particularly post-Brexit.

Earlier in 2018 we looked at the launch of Open Banking and how it is going to revolutionise applying for and controlling finances. How useful Open Banking is going to be is highlighted by the announcement from Iwoca that it has agreed a link up with Lloyds which will speed up access to finance.

To close this Bulletin, we review the latest quarterly statistics from the Insolvency Services. The Quarter 3 figures make gloomy reading with the number of businesses entering into an insolvency arrangement reported as on the rise.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.

In this edition of the Business Finance Bulletin we look at how the accounting software provider Xero is making access to finance easier by integrating with MarketInvoice, DueCourse and Iwoca. Another step forward for businesses in need of quick access to cash.

Brexit has opened business owner’s minds to the opportunities created via exporting. A new survey by the Federation of Small Businesses has revealed the top 3 export priorities but if you’re new to exporting, where do you go for advice and support. We look at three sources you can tap into.

The deal of a lifetime can present itself but often the opportunity is missed because you can’t arrange finance quick enough. To avoid that happening we have three actions you can take to ensure you are finance-ready.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.

In this episode of the Business Finance Bulletin we start off by looking at how findings from a new survey reveal that business owners can be put off borrowing by complicated financial terminology. Are you confused by the jargon lenders use?

It seems some business owners are running for the hills when it comes to planned investments over the next six months. A rapid fall in estimated investment levels indicates that small business owners are being cautious ahead of Brexit.

There are many reasons why your bank can say ‘no’ but when it comes to County Court Judgments, or CCJs as they are commonly referred to, it is difficult to argue your corner. Find out how one business owner unwittingly fell into this trap.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.

We open the latest edition of the Business Finance Bulletin with a look at two surveys from the Federation of Small Businesses and Barclays Bank. The question asked of small businesses is how Brexit will impact those trading overseas and whether confidence has taken a knock. What are our SMEs thinking?

We take our regular look at how the alternative finance sector is performing following the release of the last quarter 2016 statistics by the Peer to Peer Finance Association. Lending to both businesses and individuals continues to remain strong.

Scale-ups appears to the latest ‘new thing’ with the news that the government has appointed a Scale-Up Champion. What is the government looking to achieve?

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.

In the latest episode of the Business Finance Bulletin we look at the continued fall-out from the Brexit vote; how the Bank of England have taken actions to boost bank lending and lender’s appetite to support UK small businesses.

We review the latest quarterly Small Business Index survey released by the Federation for Small Businesses which, although prepared before the EU Referendum, indicates that business confidence was already slipping.

Does late payment have an impact on productivity? The answer is revealed in a survey carried out by Xero, the online accounting software provider, which also reports on how many days per month business owners spend on chasing late payers. What a waste.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.

This episode of the Business Finance Bulletin is a ‘Brexit Special’. Following the decision to exit the EU we look at what impact Brexit could have on UK small businesses.

As explained in this Bulletin, Rob Warlow from Business Loan Services highlights three potential Brexit impacts which could affect your profitability.

Having looked at the negative impacts, what actions can you take to soften the blows? Rob shares five key actions you can take to mitigate the Brexit risks as we enter a potentially difficult time in terms of the UK economy.

Get your pen and paper ready!

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.