Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, has today announced its new Business Support Partners

BEF is delighted to serve start-up founders in Yorkshire and The Humber along with the North East.

Shaun Connell Marketing Executive
4th April 2023
Befund

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, has today announced its new Business Support Partners (BSPs) – three national partners and a number of regional support partners including Business Enterprise Fund (BEF). The new appointments will work with the Start Up Loans programme to deliver funding and support for small businesses across the UK over the next two years. BEF will work to support founders in Yorkshire and The Humber along with the North East.


The scheme has a 10-year legacy of delivering funding at a fixed interest rate of 6% and mentoring to recipients in their first year. Since inception, the scheme has delivered over 100,000 loans worth more than £960 million to businesses and its delivery partners (now renamed as Business Support Partners) have always been critical to its success.

Start Up Loans’ impact has been particularly noticeable among individuals who might find it difficult to secure loans from traditional lenders, which has always been a priority for the scheme. New BSPs share – and will help deliver on – this ambition of providing support tailored to all demographics in society.

“I am delighted to share the first phase of our newly appointed BSPs, who will help us ensure that anyone wanting to start a business has the opportunity to do so, regardless of their location, economic circumstances or social background. We are incredibly proud of the success of the scheme since 2012 and the choice to review the partners we work with has been undertaken to offer new businesses the chance to compete for the work. It will ensure the scheme is working with partners that provide the best possible support to those who need it. In particular, our new BSPs will help us deliver our ambition of providing a market leading 50/50 split between male/female loan recipients”.

Richard Bearman, Managing Director, Start Up Loans

“A commitment to supporting SMEs across the Yorkshire, The Humber, and the North East sits at the very heart of our strategy at BEF, so this new contract positions us well to continue delivering on this over the coming years. The Start Up Loans programme offers a wide array of opportunities for both individual SMEs, as well as the wider economy, helping to drive job growth and uplift communities across the Yorkshire, The Humber, and the North East .”

Befund

Stephen Waud, Chief Executive Office at BEF

About Start Up Loans

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, has today announced its new Business Support Partners (BSPs) – three national partners and a number of regional support partners including Business Enterprise Fund (BEF). The new appointments will work with the Start Up Loans programme to deliver funding and support for small businesses across the UK over the next two years. BEF will work to support founders in Yorkshire and The Humber along with the North East.


Start or grow your business with a Start Up Loan delivered by BEF

A Start Up Loan is a government-backed personal loan available to individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK. You borrow £500 to £25,000 over 1–5 years at a fixed rate of 6% per annum. Up to four founders and partners can apply per business.

Apply online now