Explore small business loans, Start Up Loans and business finance of up to £250,000 for growth, working capital, equipment purchases and refinancing. As a direct lender, BEF provides funding and support tailored to your business needs.
Turn your idea into reality with funding for startup costs, equipment, stock and early growth.
Access flexible working capital finance to cover day to day costs and keep your business moving.
Invest in people, equipment, premises and new opportunities with flexible business funding.
Replace expensive short-term borrowing with flexible finance that better supports your business and future plans.
Compare business loans, small business loans and funding options for growth, working capital, equipment purchases and refinancing.
Explore Business LoansAnswer a few simple questions about your business and what you're looking to achieve. We'll help you explore the funding options that may suit your needs and future plans.
Find Your Finance
We provide finance to businesses at different stages, startups, small businesses, and growing businesses.
We lend for a range of business needs including starting a business, managing cash flow, growing your business and refinancing existing borrowing.
We lend across Yorkshire and The Humber, the North East and the North West. Check your area to see whether we lend where your business is based.
Real people, not automated decisions.
We look beyond the numbers and your credit score.
Designed to help businesses move forward.
Every repayment supports more businesses.
BEF is a not for profit Community Development Finance Institution providing flexible business finance directly to businesses. Since 2004, we have helped founders and business owners access funding to start, develop and grow with confidence.
"There are brilliant founders and business owners across the North. We understand their ambitions, help them access finance and build more vibrant communities."
Doug Heseltine, Head of Investments
See what it's like to work with BEF, in their own words.
Invested in startups and SMEs
Added to the regional economy
Jobs created or protected
New UK businesses created
We've helped thousands of businesses access the finance they need to move forward. Read some of their stories and see what finance has helped them achieve.
Mark McKenzie Hair, an independent salon based in the historic Spa town of Ilkley, West Yorkshire, has grown with the support of a five-figure loan through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, delivered by Business Enterprise Fund (BEF).
York-based attractions business The Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring has secured five-figure funding, invested by NPIF II – BEF Smaller Loans.
Adventure Village Grimsby has secured a five-figure Start Up Loan through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, with support from Business Enterprise Fund (BEF).
For Hannah Hazledine-Herd, owning Pretty Knits Wool Shop in Darlington was once a dream. Today, but now thanks to two Start Up Loans, secured with the support of the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF), that dream is a thriving reality.
We're not the only ones saying we're different. See what businesses say about working with BEF.
"Sanni has been absolutely brilliant throughout my Start Up Loans application. The support, guidance and communication have been excellent from start to finish. She has been patient, approachable and always willing to help with any questions or concerns, making what can be a stressful process feel much more manageable. I genuinely appreciate the time and effort Sanni put into helping me progress my application and keeping things moving as quickly as possible. I would highly recommend her support to anyone going through the Start Up Loans process. Thank you again for all your help."
"Worked with Julie and she made the whole process of applying for a Start Up Loan incredibly easy, what I imagined would be a headache was pretty straightforward thanks to her help! I would definitely recommend working with Befund, they're a great bunch of people who are genuinely invested in helping you."
"I applied for the a start-up loan through BEF and work with Sanni Tait & Jane Cusse, who were brilliant throughout. They were efficient, supportive and extremely helpful all the way through the process. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend BEF to anyone who is looking to secure funding, especially if they are lucky enough to deal with Sanni & Jane."
"Rowan was nothing short of phenomenal throughout this whole experience. With the expansion of my gym to a larger premises, I knew we would need funding to create the space I wanted. From the very beginning, Rowan did everything she could to support. It is a long-winded process at the beginning, but anything I was unsure of or did wrong, Rowan corrected and kept me on track. We successfully received the full 20k we applied for, and it has transformed the business and helped us grow amazingly! couldn't recommend more!"
"I had an excellent experience working with Habib to secure my business loan. He was knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely invested in helping me succeed. He guided me through every step of the process, made everything clear and stress-free, and worked hard to find the best possible option for my needs. I truly appreciate the professionalism and dedication, and I highly recommend their services to anyone looking for business funding support."
"Just completed a loan with BEF the whole experience was very professional and effective. I would not hesitate in recommending BEF to anyone. Emma was a pleasure to work with she helps and considers in depth the whole company situation with knowledge and decisions are made using real world experience."
"Julie Micklethwaite has been amazing. She helped me access business start-up funding and made the whole process so much easier than I expected. She’s really supportive, easy to talk to, and explains everything clearly without making it feel complicated. I’m so grateful for her help and would definitely recommend her to anyone starting a business. Thank you Julie!"
"I applied for a Government Start Up Loan Habib Karimi at the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) supported me to submit my application. Explaining everything simply and making the process run efficiently. He was professional and supportive. Fantastic experience and I received the funds quickly. He ensured he checked all the details and that I was lending an amount my business could afford. Highly recommend Thanks Laura from Organise Your Life With Laura"
"Julie Micklethwaite at the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) has been absolutely fantastic to work with. She has now successfully secured two invaluable start-up loans for my business, and the difference this extra cash flow has made to our development is huge. Julie was efficient, professional, and guided me smoothly through the whole process, making everything straightforward and stress-free. We’re really happy with the service she provided through BEF and very grateful for her support – highly recommended!"
"We had an excellent experience with the Business Enterprise Fund. Emma was incredibly helpful throughout the process—professional, efficient, and genuinely supportive. She managed to get our funding sorted within just a couple of days, which made a huge difference for our business. The entire process was straightforward and stress-free. We highly recommend the Business Enterprise Fund to any business looking for quick and reliable support. Thank you again, Emma and team"
Find answers to common questions about business finance, from how much you can borrow to what finance can be used for. As a not-for-profit CDFI, we take a different approach to lending, so you can also find out more about how we work.
We work with organisations across the public, private and third sectors to help businesses access the finance they need to move forward. By working together, we can strengthen businesses and help create more vibrant communities across the North.
