Access to finance can play an important role for people looking to start up a business or business owners looking to grow. The UK has a highly competitive commercial finance sector with a wide range of financial service providers and finance products available. For data on access to finance amongst SMEs, visit the SME Finance Monitor.

Financial service providers are ready to support viable businesses and there is a wide range of advice, guidance, and finance options available.

Better Business Finance provides impartial information about commercial finance to businesses, entrepreneurs, and their partners. It includes a Find Finance on-line tool.

The British Business Bank has a Finance Finder on-line tool.

The Government’s business.gov.uk site provides easy access to trusted information, expertise, and services. 

Many financial service providers offer help and support available to all businesses, not just business customers. Search individual financial service providers web sites to find out more.

Resources for women-led businesses

The Investing in Women Code is a commitment to support female entrepreneurship in the UK by improving women’s access to the advice, resources and finance needed to build a business.

Resources for ethnic minority led businesses

A thriving economy needs to build on the talents of all entrepreneurs regardless of ethnic heritage, race, religion, or nationality. However, business owners who are Black, Asian or from another ethnic minority background can struggle to find funding for their business. You can read about the support financial service providers have available for ethnic minority business owners here.

Resources for disabled entrepreneurs 

Disabled-led businesses have a substantial presence in the UK’s small business sector, accounting for approximately 25% of the nation's 5.7 million small businesses. The Disability Finance Code for Entrepreneurship captures best practice to support disabled-led businesses and sets out commitments that Code signatories have made to widen opportunities for disabled entrepreneurs.

The SME Finance Charter sets out how UK lenders support their business customers and what this means for your business. The Charter sets out pledges for lenders to:

• Be open for business and ready to lend
• Support their application and signpost other options if needed
• Treat them fairly at all times
• Work with the government-owned British Business Bank (BBB) to support SMEs.

Signatories provide more detailed information about the support they offer on their webpages. The Charter and its signatories can be found here.