The UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of its economy, contributing significantly to innovation, employment, and economic growth. Despite their importance, these businesses often face substantial challenges when seeking financing, particularly in a landscape where traditional lenders remain cautious and risk averse. Access to affordable and flexible financing therefore remains a significant challenge for SMEs, who subsequently are struggling to achieve their growth potential.
There is now though a growing recognition of the need for a more robust and accessible loan scheme similar to the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programme in the United States- a scheme that could transform the financing landscape for SMEs in the UK.
The SBA Loan Programme
The SBA loan programme in the U.S. has been a cornerstone in encouraging entrepreneurship and business growth. Through it, small businesses have been provided with access to capital that might otherwise be unattainable.
The SBA does not lend money directly; instead, it guarantees a portion of loans made by partner lenders, reducing the risk for these financial institutions and making them more willing to lend to small businesses. This guarantee allows for morefavourable loan terms, such as lower interest rates, longer repayment periods ,and reduced down payment requirements.
Additionally, the SBA7(a) loan programme is a favoured option for financing M&A activity. The SBA7(a) loan can be used to finance the acquisition of existing businesses, franchises and intangible assets such as goodwill. Working capital requirements that may arise during a deal or in the post-acquisition phase can also be covered by the loan.
By providing such favourable terms and facilitating business growth through M&A, the SBA has empowered countless small businesses to expand, innovate, and weather economic downturns. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, SBA loans were instrumental in helping businesses stay afloat, preserving jobs and stabilising the economy.
These loans have been instrumental in bridging the gap for businesses that might otherwise struggle to secure financing through conventional lending channels.
The UK’s Financing Gap
In contrast, UK SMEs often face higher borrowing costs and more stringent lending criteria, particularly those with limited credit history. This can stifle innovation, limit job creation, and slow economic growth. There are initiatives in place to support SMEs, such as the Growth Guarantee Scheme and Start Up Loans, however, there remains a significant gap in the market for affordable, accessible financing.
On 8 May 2024,the House of Commons Treasury Committee published a report on SME Finance following its inquiry into access to finance for SMEs. The report states that “confidence amongst SMEs in accessing finance has fallen and acceptance rates for business credit has lowered significantly”. Some of the reasons mentioned in the report include de-banking, ineffective recourse for bank disputes and unfair banking practices such as asking for personal guarantees for business loans. The report states that this difficult small business environment is disincentivising risk-taking, innovation and, potentially, growth.
This financing gap is particularly problematic for startups and early-stage businesses, which are most in need of capital but least likely to meet conventional lending requirements. Without access to affordable loans, these businesses are often forced to turn to more expensive forms of financing, such as credit cards or high-interest loans, which can curb growth and increase the risk of failure.
The case for a UK equivalent
A UK equivalent of the SBA loan programme could address these challenges by offering more accessible, government-backed loans tailored to the unique needs of SMEs. Such a programme would not only provide essential capital for startups, but would enable UK entrepreneurs to take calculated risks, invest in new technologies, and expand their operations.
The government guarantee provided by such a programme would also mitigate the risk for lenders, encouraging them to extend credit to a broad range of businesses –businesses that might otherwise be deemed too risky. This would help diversify the lending landscape and reduce the concentration of risk within a small number of large financial institutions.
The need for a UK-specific SBA-style loan programme is clear. By reducing financial barriers and offering more supportive lending options, such a programme could unlock the full potential of SMEs, driving economic growth and innovation across the UK.
Nusrat Qureishi joins us as the Head of Corporate & Commercial Law. She is a corporate commercial lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience with particular expertise in the sale and purchase of businesses and companies, as well as the establishment of partnerships and other joint ventures.
Having trained and worked for many years for a City Law firm, Nusrat has a wealth of experience of working on high-value and complex corporate transactions. Her experience extends to advising on mergers, investment, shareholder, restructuring, banking and re-financing and corporate governance work. Her clients have included entrepreneurs, owner-managers, mid-market companies, SMEs, PLCs, international corporates, private equity, banks and financial institutions, joint venture parties, LLPs, partnerships and individuals.
Client service is highly valued by Nusrat who invests time to gain a real understanding of her clients’ needs to meet their goals as effectively and commercially as possible. She aims to be involved in the preparation of a business for sale or purchase from an early stage to ensure that the process runs smoothly and without unnecessary risk, helping to reduce both time and cost for her clients. Her experience allows her to advise companies on strategy – enabling entities to realise the next stage of their growth plans and also support more sophisticated businesses to achieve their commercial objectives.
Nusrat’s approach is totally consistent with the ethos of stevensdrake where client satisfaction is valued together with the provision of a high quality service.
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