Empowering regional growth
For over 20 years, we have been dedicated to providing flexible finance to small businesses across the North of England, supporting regional growth and economic development through our social enterprise mission.
Discover how our key statistics and achievements highlight the impact of our efforts in the last 12 months.
£
21.5m
Of client investment.
£
86m
Added to the region's economy.
599
New UK businesses created.
4,470
Jobs created or safeguarded.
Flexible finance for regional businesses
As a social enterprise, our goal is simple; to provide flexible finance to businesses in areas that need it most.
We’re proud to be part of the effort to support and grow the regional economies that make up the North of England and have developed a unique lending proposition for this to continue.
Supporting small businesses since the start
We’ve been lending money to small businesses that need access to finance to thrive and grow. In the beginning, our social mission was to support businesses in Bradford, particularly set in deprived communities.
Previous social impact reports
Helping businesses across the North in 2023/24
North Yorkshire
£
810k
North East & Teesside
£
3.3m
West Yorkshire
£
2m
North West
£
1.8m
North East & Teesside
£
3.3m
West Yorkshire
£
2m
North West
£
1.8m
We’ve grown considerably, covering the wider region of Yorkshire and Humberside, the North East, and the North West but our core aims haven’t changed.
About usDiscover our impact
Curious about the difference we’re making in communities across the North of England? Dive into the details with our comprehensive report.
Download previous Social Impact Reports
2023 Edition
Download
Read our 2023 Social Impact Report.
2022 Edition
Download
Read our 2022 Social Impact Report.
2021 Edition
Download
Read our 2022 Social Impact Report.
2020 Edition
Download
Read our 2020 Social Impact Report.
2019 Edition
Download
Read our 2019 Social Impact Report.
2018 Edition
Download
Read our 2018 Social Impact Report.
Stay informed and inspired with our blog
Discover our impact on local businesses
We measure our success by the achievements of the businesses we support. Here’s what some of our clients have to say about their journey.
"Our partnership with BEF has been instrumental in realising our growth aspirations. This NPIF loan has empowered us to better serve our community and expand our horizons."
Tomas Oppedal
“They clearly understood our vision and the entire process was straightforward, taking the stress out of launching a brand new business.”
Jeff Ben Mayor