Open for applications
We support lenders such as banks and non-bank financial institutions unlock more lending to smaller businesses.
We are open to working with all lenders, subject to our eligibility criteria, and can structure solutions for a wide range of lending products.
ENABLE Guarantees
The ENABLE Guarantee programme is designed to encourage additional lending to smaller businesses.
Participating institutions are incentivised by a government-backed guarantee to support defined portfolios of debt finance in return for a fee.
The ENABLE Guarantee programme is open to all UK banks, UK branches of foreign banks, asset and asset-based finance providers as well as certain other categories of lenders which lend, or intend to lend, to viable small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the UK. To find out more and express an interest in participating in a transaction please view our Request for Proposals.
The British Business Bank has entered into 15 different transactions with 11 different lenders since the programme’s inception. It currently has live guarantee commitments supporting portfolios of around £1.5bn. The transactions include:
- Those with ThinCats, Oxbury, and Cambridge & Counties Bank which support term loans to smaller businesses.
- One with DF Capital which supports dealer floorplan finance to smaller businesses.
- One with LendInvest which supports the SME housebuilding sector and the development of new housing.
To find out more about how it works and its success to date follow the link below.
ENABLE Build
The ENABLE Build programme operates in a similar manner to the ENABLE Guarantee programme but is focussed on encouraging additional lending to smaller housebuilders in the UK.
The ENABLE Build programme is open to UK incorporated banks, UK branches of foreign banks asset and asset-based finance providers as well as certain other categories of lenders which provide, or intend to provide, development finance to viable smaller housebuilders operating in the UK. To find out more and express an interest in participating in a transaction please view our Request for Proposals.
The British Business Bank has entered into transactions with United Trust Bank and Hampshire Trust Bank since the programme’s inception. It currently has live guarantee commitments supporting portfolios of around £600m.
To find out more about how it works and its success to date follow the link below.
ENABLE Funding
In November 2014 we launched a new programme, ENABLE Funding, aimed at improving the provision of asset and lease finance to smaller UK businesses.
Providers of finance to smaller businesses often lack the scale required to access capital markets – a key source of funding for lending institutions – in a cost-efficient manner.
ENABLE Funding will warehouse newly-originated finance receivables from different originators – bringing them together into a new structure.
Once the structure has sufficient scale, it will refinance a portion of its funding on the capital markets. This means the British Business Bank can help small finance providers to tap institutional investors’ funds. If you provide asset or lease finance to smaller businesses or if you are a peer to peer lender that facilitates the provision of finance to smaller businesses and want to find out more, or express an interest in participating in ENABLE Funding, please download our Request for Proposals.
ENABLE Funding performance
- The British Business Bank has entered into nine transactions under its ENABLE Funding programme (as at the end of March 2024) and has committed approximately £1.1bn to smaller finance providers.
- Since the first transaction in September 2015, the ENABLE Funding programme has supported lending to over 86,600 businesses and facilitated more than £2.5bn of finance (as at the end of March 2024).
- The first refinancing under ENABLE Funding was completed in 2022 with Propel, where a portion of the warehouse funding provided during the first phase of the programme was refinanced and replaced with institutional investors’ funds – in line with the programme’s objectives of supporting smaller finance providers to access capital markets funding.
Community ENABLE Funding
The Community ENABLE Funding (CEF) programme is designed to increase the availability of finance to the social impact sector initially through Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). These not-for-profit lenders will focus on underserved smaller businesses, offering fair and affordable debt finance.
Key Details:
Funding Phases:
- Initial government-backed financing through the British Business Bank.
- Subsequent private sector investment, leveraging government funds.
Focus Areas:
- Businesses declined by mainstream lenders.
- Underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities and female-led businesses.
- Communities in disadvantaged areas.
Eligibility Criteria:
To qualify, businesses must demonstrate financial viability and meet subsidy thresholds.
The British Business Bank administers the CEF programme, enhancing access to finance for smaller businesses across the UK.
If you are a lender to smaller businesses and would like to find out more, please contact the British Business Bank wholesale team.
The business finance guide - English version
Use the Business Finance Guide to learn about the types of funding most suitable for your business stage and future plans
Learn more aboutThe business finance guide - Welsh version
Use the Business Finance Guide to learn about the types of funding most suitable for your business stage and future plans
Learn more aboutThe English and Welsh language editions of the Business Finance Guide are downloadable from the Guide’s dedicated website. This resource also contains videos and additional content about finance options, including equity finance.
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