£4.5 billion of RLS lending for small businesses so far
The RLS launched in April 2021 and was originally scheduled to run until 31 December 2021.
At Autumn Budget 2021, the government extended the scheme by six months to 30 June 2022 and made some adjustments to its terms. The government provided a guarantee of 80% for loans made before 1 January 2022 and 70% for loans after that date. The borrower remains 100% liable for the debt.
According to the British Business Bank, accredited lenders have offered over £4.5 billion, through the RLS, to smaller UK businesses as they steer a path towards a sustainable recovery.
What’s changed with the new RLS?
The scheme is essentially the same as the old RLS, but lenders can now ask for a personal guarantee (PG). This excludes the Directors’ main residence.
It will be open to small businesses with a turnover of up to £45 million and will support facility sizes of up to £2 million.
Businesses that took out a CBILS, CLBILS, BBLS or RLS facility before 30 June 2022 are not prevented from accessing RLS from August 2022, although in some cases it may reduce the amount a business can borrow.
How much will I be able to borrow?
The amount that you can borrow may vary between lenders and type of finance that you are taking, so you should speak to your lender or broker.
What information is needed to make an application?
Lenders will be required to undertake standard credit, fraud, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) checks for all applicants. When making their assessment, lenders may overlook concerns over short-to-medium term performance owing to the pandemic. The checks and approach may vary between lenders.
Businesses applying for the Recovery Loan Scheme will need to provide certain evidence to show they can afford to repay the facility. This can include, but is not limited to:
- Historic accounts
- Management accounts
- Business plan
- Details of assets
- A completed application form
We say
Most top tier banks are listed on the accredited panel, so in most cases you should speak to your finance provider or bank relationship manager in the first instance.
Please note that not every accredited lender can provide every type of finance available under RLS, and the amount of finance offered varies between lenders. Further information can be found via their respective websites.
You can see further information on the RLS on the British Bank website here.
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