To open this week’s Bulletin, we look at the knock-on effect of changes to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and general lender reaction to the crisis which has jointly led to a fall in the availability of finance.

Evidence is now emerging of the impact the virus is having on businesses. We review a report from the British Chambers of Commerce which reveals reduced confidence and the limited level of cash reserves businesses have set aside to cover expenses.

To close, news of a grant scheme established by The Princes Trust and Nat West to specifically help young entrepreneurs meet costs and invest in new equipment.

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UK businesses have been hit by a number of financial shocks this year which can have an impact on sales, profitability and cashflow. To open this Bulletin, we look at the level off support being offered by banks to ease the burden.

To improve its position in the market we review changes Nat West has made to their business account to make it more competitive in an ever increasingly crowded market.

To close this Bulletin, an announcement by small and micro business lender AskIf on its approval from the British Business Bank to offer loans under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme.

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In this increasingly complex world falling foul of fraudsters is all too easy. Opening this week’s Business Finance Bulletin, we look at how Just Cashflow clients can access free fraud identification software to lessen the chances of getting caught out.

If you’re in need of funds to finance your growth plans have multiple assets you can borrow against, it can be time consuming liaising with different lenders. Ultimate Finance have announced the launch of its Structured Finance product which will allow you borrow against a variety of assets via one loan.

Wrapping up this Bulletin, a look at a survey from Nat West which reveals how individuals are wasting money by paying for services they never use. Are small business owners just as guilty of this?

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To start our latest Bulletin, an announcement from mobile-only bank Starling that it’s to start offering business loans to Limited Companies. Starling’s 100,000 business customers will also, for a monthly fee, be able to access its Business Toolkit service.

It’s now two years since Open Banking was launched. We look at a survey from the FSB which reveals that only a small number of businesses are taking advantage of the benefits Open Banking can bring.

Closing this week’s Bulletin, news from Nat West that it’s to link up with pre-paid MasterCard provider Soldo allowing their customers to directly access two of the bank’s key products. This is another example of the old guard joining forces with the newcomers.

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

A new report from the Federation of Small Businesses has highlighted concerns that growth is being held back by restricted access to finance. Is that the case or is there something else going on?

We look at the announcement from Nat West of the launch of Mettle, its new mobile-only banking service. Operating as a standalone service, Mettle is in pilot phase and seeking small business owner to be part of the trial to assist in future development.

To close this Bulletin, concerns from Business Debt Line, a charity which assists small business owners who have got into financial difficulty, that debt levels are on the rise. It’s calling for various support measures for smaller businesses to help them through difficult times.

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As we get closer to the Brexit deadline, thoughts are turning to potential support businesses will need in a worse-case scenario. To open our latest Bulletin, we have news that RBS has set aside funds to provide financial support to businesses trading in Europe who may find themselves in a tight financial spot.

As highlighted in recent Bulletins, the Asset Finance sector continues to grow in terms of facilities to allow businesses to acquire assets. To continue the flow of available funds, we look at the announcement from the British Business Bank that it has allocated funds to asset finance provider Henry Howard Finance for on-lending to small businesses.

To close, our monthly review of bank lending to businesses. The latest figures from UK Finance reveal that bank lending continues to slip with limited demand for finance from businesses. Business owners seem to be adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach when it comes to making investment decisions.

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Following the announcement in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement that the government is looking at ways of tackling late payment, it has announced the launch of a consultation paper. The government is looking for input on its plans to address late payment amongst businesses awarded government contracts. Do you have any thoughts?

Where it can’t assist, to continue signposting businesses to alternative lenders, Nat West has announced MarketInvoice as the ninth addition to its Capital Connections panel. Being an online invoice discounter, MarketInvoice adds a new service to Nat West’s expanding panel.

Figures from UK Finance, the finance industry’s trade body, reveal that 2017 was a record year for businesses accessing Asset-Based lending. Looking closer at the figures, smaller businesses though really took advantage of this growing source of alternative finance. But is that the case in the first quarter of 2018?

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What would you do if you were able to borrow money for your business? This is a question posed by Liberis, the short-term cashflow lender, when it spoke to 200 small businesses. As well as revealing how funds would be spent, the survey also discovered how many small businesses are still confused about where to look for finance.

Businesses based in the Midlands are in for a cash boost with the announcement from Barclays of the creation of its £370m Midlands Growth Fund. If you are based in the Midlands, we look at how you could benefit.

To close this Bulletin, we have news of Nat West’s revised Entrepreneur’s Accelerator Programme. Delivered in hubs situated in 12 major cities across the UK, the programme is designed to help start ups in need of support, advice and mentorship. Could the programme help you get your business off the ground?

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.

Despite the introduction of the Bank Referral Scheme, Nat West continues to develop its own panel of alternative finance partners via Capital Connections. In this Bulletin we look at the latest addition to the panel, equity crowdfunding platform, Seedrs.

As well as causing business finance distress, late payment can also cause personal stress for business owners. The extent of the problem is revealed in a recent survey carried out by The Prompt Payment Directory and we review the key findings.

Why would your bank say ‘no’ to a new loan when your business is profitable and your bank account operates with no problems? We close the Bulletin by sharing one reason why this would happen.

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In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Rob Warlow looks at a new business programme produced by TV production company Liberty Bell who are looking to bring together ordinary investors and businesses owners on the hunt for finance; a case of crowdfunding meets Dragons Den! Could this be for you?

The creative industry has always found it challenging to raise business finance and Rob looks at support being provided by a network of lenders via the Creative Industry Finance network with news that P2P lender Ratesetter has joined the scheme.

Continuing the support theme the Entrepreneurial Spark team has announced that KPMG has joined the network to provide advice to the businesses seeking mentors and guidance.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week a clip from an interview in which Rob talks about Business Plans and specifically what should be included in the Staff and Management section.

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