Because our usual weekly Business Finance Bulletin included outtakes and fails to celebrate the 100th episode, this didn’t fit our usual podcast version. In order that those who prefer to download and listn don’t miss out we have recorded a ‘podcast-only’ episode in which we look at preparing a cashflow forecast, success rates in getting business finance, the Loan Appeal process, extension of the Funding for Lending Scheme and writing a Business Plan.

To listen in just click below or you can access our Soundcloud channel to download for later listening. You can also access via our itunes channel.

If you want to watch the video version of Episode 100 including all the outtakes and fails just click below and have a laugh!

The Bank of England’s announcement that it is providing a two-year extension to the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) has given a boost to the growing number of challenger banks and SMEs on hunt for cheaper finance and access to funding.

The FLS was launched in 2012 at the height of the credit crunch and was designed to provide banks with a cheaper source of funding which in turn would be passed onto SMEs in the form of cheaper loans.

As we have discussed in previous blogs in the years since the scheme was launched it has drawn criticism that its effectiveness was questionable. This may be the case amongst the High Street banks where usage has been patchy (except for part Government-owned Lloyds) but the rising challenger banks have taken advantage.

The latest figures available to the end of June 2015 in respect of the second tranch of FLS funding show how much banks which have accessed the scheme have outstanding. The figures also show that smaller lenders have taken advantage.

Lloyds £24b
Nationwide £8.5b
Yorkshire Building Society £3b
Virgin Money £2.7b
Santander £2.2b
Coventry Building Society £2b
Skipton Building Society £855m
Aldermore £710m

The extension which has been announced will provide those banks participating in the scheme with additional flexibility to draw any unused drawing allowances up to 31 January 2018. The extension also introduces a gradual phasing out, with borrowing allowances reducing over time. The reasoning behind this phasing is to minimise the risks of a sudden withdrawal of funding support.

The Bank of England has also announced that there will be a separate part of the scheme to allow new banks which are not already participating to draw against new allowances over the two-year extension. This is to ensure that new banks, which may not otherwise have any borrowing allowances under this extension given the lack of a prior lending history, are not put at a disadvantage relative to other banks that have access to the scheme. This will provide newer lenders with a window of opportunity to take advantage of the scheme so widening funding options for SMEs.

Looking at the latest bank lending figures to the end of September SMEs are benefiting from increased bank lending. The figures show that gross lending (new loans and utilised overdrafts) in September amounted to £5 billion. However, set off against this is the amount of loans and overdrafts repaid in the month which came to £4.5 billion and as a result net lending to SMEs was to £500 million to the positive.

An increase in the net lending figure is coming more frequent and in the 12 months to September the growth in amounts outstanding to SMEs (loans and overdrafts) was 0.7%. Doesn’t sound a lot? Compared to historic figures of a fall in amounts outstanding of 3% to 4% this nominal increase is a major win!

There is still way to go but with the FLS extension and a growing range of finance options SMEs are in a far better place than they have been for a long time.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow looks at how business owners are becoming more aware of alternative finance and willing to consider it as an option to obtain funding. Rob also shares news from Funding Circle of their new bridging loan product.

The Funding for Lending Scheme, launched by the government in 2012 to boost lending to small businesses, may not have been roaring success, but Rob looks at statistics which shows signs of improvement in usage by the banks involved in the scheme.

A clean Credit Report is one thing a lender will look for when assessing a finance request but such don’t necessarily provide a complete picture… until now. Rob shares news from Experian on how additional information now being shared will provider lenders with a better understanding of an applicant’s financial position.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob chats with Gareth Pritchard of Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance in which talks about the key features of Invoice Discounting.

You can also listen to this week’s edition in a podcast version by clicking below to listen or download. You can also subscribe via our itunes channel.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin Rob Warlow looks at recent surveys from Close Brothers and the government’s Business Innovation and Skills Department on growing confidence levels amongst business owners in the UK.

Rob also looks at the latest figures from the Bank of England on the Funding for Lending Scheme which shows a continued downward slide in support from banks.

Late payment continues to be a problem for growing businesses and Rob looks at how the government is tackling the problem with revisions to the Prompt Payment Code and new rules designed to ensure the public sector pays on time.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob chats with Market Invoice, the online crowdfunding platform, which helps UK businesses unlock cash tied up in outstanding invoices.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version of this week’s Bulletin simply click below or download to your computer or phone.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin Rob Warlow looks the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement with the announcement of the extension of the Funding for Lending Scheme, and additional support for the Enterprise Capital Fund and Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme.

Late payment continues to feature on the agenda with news that the government is launching a consultation paper aimed at improving transparency amongst large businesses on their payment practices.

The recent SME Finance Monitor Report reveals interest insights in to the experience small business owners are having with their banks in terms of getting a finance approval. Rob looks at the numbers which shows why you shuld not assume your bank is going to say no if you approach them for business finance.

Agreeing the sharing of property security between different banks has always been a slow process but Rob discusses new arrangements put in place by the four High Street banks to speed up the process.

The Business Finance Tip this week comes from an interview Rob did with negotiation expert Derek Arden. In the interview Derek gives three tips on how to negotiate a better deal with your bank.

You can also listen to this week’s Bulletin as a podcast and you can download it to your PC or phone via our SoundCloud page. Click on the download button below or simply click to listen now.

Posted on 30.05.2014, by Rob Warlow

In this week’s episode we look at the first quarter figures of the government’s Funding for Lending Scheme (not all good news I’m afraid). Better figures though come from the British Bankers Association first quarter figures on bank lending, which shows a steady increase in bank lending.

A survey from Close Bros Invoice Finance reveals the different types of finance business owners are using and, in another piece of research, a look at how crowdfunding continues to grow at a rapid rate.

The Business Finance Tip of the Week is a clip from a live seminar Rob Warlow did recently in which he shares his thoughts on what to do if your bank has said no… move on!