Business lending figures for the United Kingdom, from the Bank of England, the British Business Bank and the Finance and Leasing Association.
The amount outstanding of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was £205,755 million in the United Kingdom at the end of September 2026.
Source: Monthly amounts outstanding of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to small and medium sized enterprises (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies.
The 12-month growth rate of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was 5.3 per cent in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
Source: Monthly 12 month growth rate of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to small and medium sized enterprises (in percent) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies.
The 12-month growth rate of loans to large businesses was 11.7 per cent in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
Source: Monthly 12 month growth rate of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to large businesses (in percent) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies.
The effective interest rate on new other loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was 6.55 per cent in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
Source: Monthly average of UK resident banks' sterling Weighted average interest rate - other loans - new advances to small and medium sized enterprises (in percent) not seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Not seasonally adjusted.
50% of smaller businesses in the United Kingdom were using external finance in Q3 2025.
Source: Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26, British Business Bank, Q3 2025
SME Finance Monitor from Ipsos with UK Finance; quarterly figure stated in the report text.
37% of smaller businesses in the United Kingdom were permanent non-borrowers in Q3 2025.
Source: Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26, British Business Bank, Q3 2025
SME Finance Monitor from Ipsos with UK Finance; quarterly figure stated in the report text.
The net percentage balance of lenders reporting a change in the availability of credit provided to small businesses over the past three months was -12.1 in the third quarter of 2026.
Source: Credit Conditions Survey - 2026 Q3, Corporate lending results, Bank of England, Q3 2026
Net percentage balance of lenders, weighted by market share; the Bank states a positive balance means lenders reported availability, demand or defaults higher (or terms cheaper or looser) than over the previous three months. Answers are for the past three months.
The net percentage balance of lenders reporting a change in overall demand for lending from small businesses over the past three months was -12.1 in the third quarter of 2026.
Source: Credit Conditions Survey - 2026 Q3, Corporate lending results, Bank of England, Q3 2026
Net percentage balance of lenders, weighted by market share; the Bank states a positive balance means lenders reported availability, demand or defaults higher (or terms cheaper or looser) than over the previous three months. Answers are for the past three months.
Gross lending to small and medium-sized enterprises, excluding overdrafts, was £6,720 million in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
Source: Monthly changes of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency gross lending to small and medium sized enterprises (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies.
Net lending to small and medium-sized enterprises was £1,049 million in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
Source: Monthly changes of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to small and medium sized enterprises (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies. Includes overdrafts.
The amount outstanding of loans to all non-financial businesses was £614,622 million in the United Kingdom at the end of September 2026.
Source: Monthly amounts outstanding of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to all non-financial businesses (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies.
Net lending to all non-financial businesses was £9,263 million in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
Source: Monthly changes of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to all non-financial businesses (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, September 2026
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies. Includes overdrafts.
Gross bank lending to SMEs in the United Kingdom totalled £68bn in 2025.
Source: Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26, British Business Bank, 2025
Bank of England measure: term lending including real estate lending, excluding overdrafts and credit cards. Nominal terms, read from the labelled bars of the chart.
11,502 new Start Up Loans were made in the United Kingdom in the 2025/26 financial year.
Source: Annual Report and Accounts 2026, British Business Bank, 2025/26
Number of new loans made during the year as stated in the annual report; the 2023/24 figure also appears in the 2024 Nations and Regions Tracker.
New Start Up Loans made in the United Kingdom in the 2025/26 financial year totalled £144m.
Source: Annual Report and Accounts 2026, British Business Bank, 2025/26
Total value of new loans made during the year as stated in the annual report.
New asset finance business written by reporting lenders was £41,934 million in the United Kingdom in the 12 months to August 2026.
Source: Asset finance new business grew by 10% in August 2026, Finance and Leasing Association, 12 months to August 2026
Lending by FLA members only; the table gives no geography (UK per publisher).
The amount outstanding of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was £197,860 million in the United Kingdom at the end of December 2022.
Source: Monthly amounts outstanding of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to small and medium sized enterprises (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, December 2022
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies.
The amount outstanding of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was £167,861 million in the United Kingdom at the end of December 2019.
Source: Monthly amounts outstanding of monetary financial institutions' sterling and all foreign currency loans to small and medium sized enterprises (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted, Bank of England, December 2019
Seasonally adjusted. Loans by monetary financial institutions in sterling and all foreign currencies.
The amount outstanding of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was £205,755 million in the United Kingdom at the end of September 2026. The 12-month growth rate of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was 5.3 per cent in the United Kingdom in September 2026. The 12-month growth rate of loans to large businesses was 11.7 per cent in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
The amount outstanding of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was £205,755 million in the United Kingdom at the end of September 2026.
The 12-month growth rate of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises was 5.3 per cent in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
The 12-month growth rate of loans to large businesses was 11.7 per cent in the United Kingdom in September 2026.