The term Open Banking may still be a mystery to many people, but more lenders are beginning to adopt the technology and benefits it brings. We open our latest Bulletin with news that Boost Capital, the short term business finance provider, has embraced Open Banking to speed up the processing of finance applications.

New research from Experian, the credit reference agency, reveals that a high proportion of people have never checked their personal credit score. We look at why it’s important to do so, especially prior to applying for business finance. In the Bulletin we mentioned a longer video with tips on how to improve your business credit score.

To close, our regular look at activity in the asset finance sector. The latest figures from the Finance and Leasing Association show that in January, usage of asset finance bucked the trend in terms of appetite to invest.

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Access to finance can be a challenge at the best of times but research has shown that female entrepreneurs struggle more than their male counterparts when it comes to raising funds. In this episode of the Business Finance Bulletin we take a look at the launch of a new, female-only crowdfunding platform, which not only provides access to equity funding but also to an Angel Network, business support and mentoring.

One long awaited element of The Small Business Enterprise and Employment Act is the appointment of a Small Business Commissioner. Part of the role will be to ensure the scourge of late payment is tackled but it appears that government is still not ready to roll out this much-needed resource.

Having a clean Credit Report is often overlooked when it comes to raising finance and in this Bulletin, we share a recent lesson on why it’s important to know what your Credit Report contains.

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In this Business Finance Bulletin, a look at the launch of the British Business Bank’s ‘Help to Grow’ scheme with £30m of loans being channelled through Lloyds Bank aimed at helping high growth and innovative firms.

New research from UHY Hacker Young has revealed how small businesses are taking a disproportionately high share of fines imposed by HMRC compared to their larger counterparts. We take a look at why that is.

It’s important you know what’s contained in your Credit Report and yet according to a recent survey carried out by Which, a large number of people have never looked at their report. We explain why you should do so when it comes to borrowing money.

And to close we have news from the Royal Bank of Scotland on how it’s going to signpost businesses it can’t help to alternative lenders via its new Capital Connections platform. It’s all part of the government’s drive to encourage banks to offer alternative lenders if they say ‘no’.

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In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow takes a look at a recent survey carried out by short-term business loan provider Just Cashflow on business owners skills gaps and what they wished they had known when they first started out in business.

Late payment continues to be a problem for growing businesses and Rob shares findings from two surveys carried out by BACS and the Asset Based Finance Association which reveal a mixture of good news and bad news on late payment experiences.

There is news from Metro Bank, one of the growing number of challenger banks, on the revamp of its small business offering.

And in the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob shares insights into problems some of the Business Loan Services’ clients have experienced in terms of their credit reports which are vital when it comes to obtaining business finance.

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In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Rob Warlow looks at the enactment of the Small Business Enterprise and Employment Act which is a milestone for small businesses in addressing a number of issues holding many back. The Act resolves problems such as access to finance and late payment which will ease financing of growth.

Rob also looks at the latest scheme from the British Business Bank, the ENABLE programme, designed to help the smaller challenger banks increase their lending support to SMEs.

Your personal credit history can have a negative impact on the ability of your business to raise finance. Rob discusses why this should be the case and what can you do about it.

In this episode’s interview Rob chats with Tracey Smolinski from business networking group Introbiz in which she talks about their forthcoming business exhibition and the entrepreneurs who will speaking.

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In the latest Business Finance Bulletin Rob Warlow reviews findings by the Insolvency trade body R3 on how zombie businesses may be facing challenges ahead as the economy grows.

New lenders keep appear on the finance scene and Rob shares the news of a new commercial lender, Secure Trust Bank, which is providing asset-based financial support to growing SMEs.

Funding Empire is one the growing band of crowdlenders and Rob has a chat with Parag Patel, owner and founder on what Funding Empire can do to help business owners access finance.

A clean credit report is important when raising finance and in this edition Rob looks at a recent survey by Experian, the credit reference agency, which reveals that many business owners have little knowledge about the make-up of a good or bad credit profile.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob shares a clip from a recent Business Wales ‘Access to Finance Workshop’ in which he talks about the type of proposals banks like to see.

You can also listen to this week’s episode as a podcast by clicking below or downloading it to your phone via Soundcloud so you can listen at your leisure.

In this episode of the Business Finance Bulletin Rob Warlow looks at the booming Asset Finance industry following the latest figures released by the Finance and Leasing Association. Credit Reports are an important part of a bank’s lending assessment process. Rob looks at one bill you should always keep on an eye on – miss this payment and you could dent your credit record.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob talks with Steve White of Thornbury Collection Services and he shares three quick tips on getting your invoices paid and avoiding late payment and cashflow problems.