UK Business Finance Statistics 2026
This page gathers the most-quoted statistics on UK business finance: asset finance, specialty lending and the wider SME funding market, each drawn from a named primary source (the Finance and Leasing Association, the British Business Bank, the Bank of England and official records). Last updated June 2026. Every figure below links to its primary source.
£40bn of new asset finance was provided to UK businesses, a fifth consecutive year of growth. Source: Finance and Leasing Association
Asset and specialty finance
of new asset finance was provided to UK businesses, a fifth consecutive year of growth. (2025) Source: Finance and Leasing Association
of new asset finance went to UK SMEs, a record level. (2025) Source: Finance and Leasing Association
of new finance was provided to UK businesses and households by Finance and Leasing Association members. (2025) Source: Finance and Leasing Association
The UK SME lending market
of gross bank lending went to UK SMEs, up 9% on the year and the second highest level in 13 years. (2025) Source: British Business Bank, Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26
of all SME lending came from challenger and specialist banks or non-bank lenders, rather than the big high-street banks. (2025) Source: British Business Bank, Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26
of UK smaller businesses used external finance. (2025) Source: British Business Bank, Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26
private-sector businesses operate in the UK, and 99.9% of them are SMEs. (2024) Source: DBT Business Population Estimates
was the Bank of England base rate, the anchor for UK business finance pricing. (December 2025) Source: Bank of England
FundBiz data
specialist business finance lenders are tracked in the FundBiz Business Finance Lender Index, with product type, ticket range, typical rate, decision time and FCA status recorded for each. First-party data (2026) Source: FundBiz Business Finance Lender Index See the Lender Index
Our own data
The figures marked "First-party data" above are published by FundBiz from its own dataset and are not available elsewhere. The full methodology and the underlying table are in the UK Business Finance Lender Index.
Methodology and sources
Every statistic on this page is taken from a named primary source and links to the original record so you can verify it. We do not republish figures from secondary blogs. The page is reviewed and the figures refreshed on a regular cadence; the "last updated" date reflects the most recent substantive change, not an automated rebuild.
Cite this page
To reference these figures, please credit FundBiz and link to this page:
Source: FundBiz, UK Business Finance Statistics 2026, https://fundbiz.co.uk/statistics/ (accessed June 2026).
Compiled by Oliver Mackman. Published by FundBiz.