Liberis Finance questions Bank of England lending squeeze assertion
Following news from the Bank of England (BoE) that UK firms are to face their biggest lending squeeze since the financial crisis, Liberis Finance releases funding trends data with the message that funding is most certainly available.
Rob Straathof, Liberis CEO, says it is unhelpful to suggest otherwise: “While the BoE’s projections are concerning, naturally they refer to Bank lending and should not be confused – neither are they representative – of the entire funding landscape,” he adds. “There are numerous responsible lending options from the alternative finance sector, designed specifically to support small business growth, an important part of the UK economy.”
Liberis’ research shows that businesses are however looking to banks as their first point of contact when looking for finance. Credit cards are another popular choice, but alternative finance providers rank lowest as a touchpoint in customers’ journeys.
The first Quarter of 2020 will see businesses, particularly in the retail, health and beauty and automotive sectors investing in new stock, according to Liberis Finance’s Quarterly Funding Trends report, while the second quarter will be about expanding business. In terms of the most common reason for accessing funding, after business expansion and new stock, staffing was the third most common reason.
The biggest spike in funding comes in Q3 in September, with businesses purchasing stock to ensure they are fully prepared for the Christmas period.
As recently reported in the Independent, Christmas spending in the UK is forecast to rise by 0.8% from £79.72bn to £80.27bn, with a no-deal Brexit potentially reducing this to a 0.2% rise.
“Despite concerns over the impact a potential no-deal Brexit will have, the period obviously provides a critical sales period for retail businesses,” says Rob. “And It is encouraging to see so much of small business’ financing is ensuring that they have the right seasonal proposition.
“Our analysis shows that it is not all about paying the tax man or keeping a business’ head above the water,” concludes Rob. “In fact, our data shows that funding is about growth and forward planning –and it is our job as an industry to make sure alternative finance options are better known and understood.”