Regional analysis of Coronavirus loan schemes shows continued even distribution across the UK

Press release 15 October 2020

  • Data shows the distribution of loans offered tracks the business population of each region
  • Wholesale & Retail sector shows highest usage relative to size of sector for both CBILS and BBLS

New data published today reveals that the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) facilities are continuing to be accessed evenly across the UK.

Both schemes provide financial support to businesses across the UK that are losing revenue and seeing their cashflow disrupted, as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Regional data

The second set of regional and sector lending data, released by the British Business Bank today, shows a continuing pattern with the proportion of the schemes’ loans in each of the nine English regions and three Devolved Nations matching closely their respective share of the UK business population.

The British Business Bank is committed to identifying and helping reduce regional imbalances in access to finance for smaller businesses across the UK. It’s therefore encouraging that the data shows a continued benefit to well over a million smaller businesses spread across the whole country, helping them with much-needed emergency finance so they are better placed to survive, stabilise and prepare for future growth. - Patrick Magee Chief Commercial Officer, British Business Bank

CBILS by region

RegionValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
East Midlands1,0134,1247%6%
East of England1,3485,79610%10%
London2,8099,89218%19%
North East3441,5203%3%
North West1,5015,84610%10%
Northern Ireland3331,0912%2%
Scotland7593,3006%6%
South East2,1559,02616%16%
South West1,1695,1209%10%
Wales3741,6913%4%
West Midlands1,1194,7228%8%
Yorkshire and The Humber9644,2328%7%
Region not specified411310%0%

BBLS by region

RegionValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
East Midlands2,37381,3546%6%
East of England3,685121,84810%10%
London8,652259,65520%19%
North East1,10739,9913%3%
North West3,980135,12411%10%
Northern Ireland1,03933,6453%2%
Scotland2,18876,0116%6%
South East5,270175,94614%16%
South West2,881102,5698%10%
Wales1,34748,8934%4%
West Midlands3,117102,3228%8%
Yorkshire and The Humber2,63789,8517%7%
Region not specified551,7720%0%

Sector data

The Wholesale and Retail sector has accessed a significantly higher proportion of CBILS loans (18%) than its share of the business population (9.3%), with Manufacturing (13% v 4.7%) and Accommodation and Food Services (8% v 3.4%) following a similar pattern.

The Wholesale and Retail sector also accessed a relatively high proportion of Bounce Back Loans compared to its business population share (16% v 9%), as did businesses in Accommodation and Food Services (8% v 3.4%) and Real Estate Services (6% v 1.9%).

CBILS by sector

SectorValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles2,61210,27018%9.3%
Manufacturing2,0477,37613%4.7%
Construction1,7857,81514%17.7%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities1,4446,00911%14.8%
Administrative and Support Service Activities1,3766,01711%8.7%
Accommodation and Food Service Activities1,2124,4948%3.4%
Information and Communication6152,6085%6.3%
Transportation and Storage5002,2644%6.1%
Human Health and Social Work Activities4532,4964%6.1%
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation4191,5583%4.9%
Real Estate Activities3421,2442%1.9%
Financial and Insurance Activities3237371%1.5%
Education2738271%5.2%
Other Service Activities2321,5703%5.8%
Mining and Quarrying; Electricity, Gas and Air Conditioning Supply; Water Supply; Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation Activities1967091%0.6%
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing854641%2.7%
Sector not specified13330%0.0%

BBLS by sector

SectorValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles6,946196,74016%9.3%
Construction6,148210,48217%17.7%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities3,920139,99611%14.8%
Accommodation and Food Service Activities3,598102,4648%3.4%
Real Estate Activities2,71776,9556%1.9%
Administrative and Support Service Activities2,63990,9227%8.7%
Manufacturing2,34074,2236%4.7%
Transportation and Storage1,76767,1625%6.1%
Other Service Activities1,73182,1926%5.8%
Information and Communication1,69557,6895%6.3%
Human Health and Social Work Activities1,53752,4554%6.1%
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing1,14835,4703%2.7%
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation81132,5663%4.9%
Education63527,5932%5.2%
Financial and Insurance Activities34810,4821%1.5%
Mining and Quarrying; Electricity, Gas and Air Conditioning Supply; Water Supply; Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation Activities30395181%0.6%
Unknown492,0720%0.0%

Download full breakdown by parliamentary constituency (.XLSX, 70.95 KB)

All data to end of 4 October 2020.