Tag: SMEs

Over Half a Million UK Companies in Significant Financial Distress

According to redflagalert, a report has suggested thats:

509,000 UK companies are in significant financial distress—the highest number ever measured.
The coronavirus lockdown has seen the largest quarterly increase in the number of businesses in significant distress since the end of 2017, growing by 15,000 companies.
This figure is expected to increase throughout Q2 as COVID-19 restrictions continue.
The number of critically distressed businesses increased by 10% in the last quarter alone.

During Q1 2020, the number of UK companies experiencing significant financial distress exceeded the half a million mark for the first time since our research began.

Latest figures show a 3% quarterly increase in the number of companies that are unable to meet their debts—that’s 15,000 businesses, representing the largest increase since the end of 2017.

The leading cause of this is the coronavirus restrictions and our data shows that SMEs have been worst hit, representing over 99% of all businesses in distress.

Companies with less than 250 employees are particularly vulnerable at this time as many have struggled to access government support schemes.

Even more concerning is that our data shows a 10% jump in the number of businesses in critical distress in the last quarter—this is usually a precursor to insolvency.

A recent survey from redflaghalert has suggest that there has been a significant increase in businesses experiencing critical distress; 2,289 companies are now in this category. Between Q4 2019 and Q1 2020, the increases in certain sectors have been dramatic:

Bars and restaurants: +37%
Real estate and property: +21%
Construction: +11%
Retail: +8%
Manufacturing: +8%

The sectors that have been hardest hit by significant financial distress in the last quarter are:

Real estate and property: +6%
Hotels and accommodation: +5%
Construction: +4%
Health and education: +4%

Since 2014, several sectors have had huge increases in the number of businesses in distress. These sectors include:

Utilities: +132%
Real estate and property services: +104%
Sport and health clubs: +86%

Year-on-year, all but one (printing and packaging) of the 22 sectors monitored by Red Flag Alert have seen increases in the number of companies in significant distress over the past 12 months, with the worst affected being:

Real estate and property: +17%
Sport and health: +8%
Food and beverage: +7%

Many businesses are currently not failing immediately because the government support schemes. The suspension of court action has stopped many businesses from also going under. However, this will only be a short-term solution and once things start to normalise again the figures may increase.

Typically, it would be expected that 4.3% of these companies will fail each year not because of coronavirus restrictions, but because they were already at high risk of failure from any short-term drop in revenue and cash flow. However, the impact of COVID-19 will see this figure double and leave the UK economy with insolvent debts totalling £8.6bn this year.

Why are so many UK farmers choosing to diversify?

30th March 2019 / admin / Comments Off

In today’s uncertain economic climate, many UK farmers are choosing to diversify their businessto boost their income.

Government figures show that 62% of UK farmers are now diversifying into other business opportunities to top up the income they make from traditional farming.

According to Farming UK, of the 62% of farmers that have diversified, 94% of the schemes have been financially successful.

So, if you’re not yet diversifying, it may be worth doing some research and speaking with an expert about rural finance to find out if you can get some help with financing your diversification scheme.

Why diversify?

With over half of those farmers diversifying reporting that the income from their alternative business has become ‘vital’ or ‘significant’ to their farm, can farmers afford not to diversify?

Key factors that are pushing farmers in the UK to diversify include:

Disease in farm animals.
Increased competition.
Falling price of milk.
Subsidies falling away.
Brexit uncertainty.

As with any business, it makes sense for farmers to avoid putting all their eggs in one basket (excuse the pun).

With many farmers owning a substantial amount of land, it makes good business sense that they use all land and buildings owned to their full advantage. Diversifying into alternative markets like leisure and tourism and renewable energy allows farmers to boost their income.

Rural finance to aid diversification

To find out if you can apply for rural finance to help with your diversification scheme, get in touch with our team here at Richmond Asset Finance to discuss your plan in more detail.

Business diversification ideas for farmers

12th March 2019 / admin / Comments Off

If you’re ready to join the 62% of UK’s farmers that have diversified from traditional farming, we’ve come up with a few alternative income ideas to inspire you.

With farmers in the UK facing many challenges, diversifying the products and services that they offer is a sensible way of branching out and boosting income.

Many farmers are making better use of the land and buildings that they own, adding new arms to their business that are outside of traditional farming.

Some of the most popular business types that farmers are diversifying into include:

Camping and caravan sites.
Bed and breakfast.
Renewable energy.
Petting farm.
Cattery or kennels.
Farm shop and café.
Toddler group or kid’s parties.
Riding lessons.
Alternative crops/farming.
Craft workshops.

According to government figures, UK farms that have diversified bring in an average of £10,400 extra revenue per farm. With these kinds of figures, can you afford not to diversify?

A good place to start, is to assess your existing business and identify any physical resources or skills that you could be making better use of.

Funding for diversification

If you require help funding your diversification project, it’s best to plan and develop your ideas before applying for agricultural finance.

Carrying out thorough research and creating a detailed business plan can help to reassure lenders and get them onboard with your vision.

At Richmond Asset Finance we have over 10 years’ experience helping farmers to gain the agricultural finance they need to grow their businesses. Get in touch to discuss your project in more detail by calling us on 0113 288 3277 to find out if we can help.

Why Is The Machine Finance Market Growing?

19th February 2019 / admin / Comments Off

Machines are critical to growth in the manufacturing sector but they are often expensive and can eat into business profits without some form of financial help.

Traditionally business owners turn to the bank to provide straightforward business loans to help if there is insufficient cash in the business to purchase machines. Even if there is enough cash to buy a machine, a loan can be a more sensible way to buy equipment particularly if there is risk attached in making large investments as there often is in business. However, business loans from banks also come at a cost and interest rates can be high.

Having multiple loans can also leave a business vulnerable in a downturn and restrict any cash flow available to grow the business. Machine finance is growing in popularity because it unlocks funding when you need it.

So if your business requires a new machine that will cut down the amount of manual labour required to get jobs done such as a CNC machine, machine finance can help you acquire that machinery at a minimum upfront cost.

This means you get the benefit of improved efficiency and profitability while spreading the cost. It can also be tax efficient now that the government has increased the annual investment allowance. So it comes as no surprise that the machine finance sector has grown 9% year on year.

How To Avoid The Business Funding Post Code Lottery

30th January 2019 / admin / Comments Off

According to recent reports, where a small business is located can have a big impact on how likely it will receive funding. While some areas offer excellent prospects for funding others are virtually feeding of scraps according to statistics.

Figures from 2016 show that businesses that benefitted from the Bank Referral Scheme totalled only 900 out of the 19,000 that had been referred after failing to secure loans from high street lenders. Looking deeper into the stats just 75 of these companies was located in in the North West.

Looking at more recent figures from UK Finance, things haven’t changed much when it comes to loan approvals by UK region. All regions saw a year on year fall in loan approvals in the final quarter of 2017 apart from Wales which saw a 55% increase compared to 7.6% decline for England.

The statistics show banks still a have a long way to go before they have sufficient trust in lending to small businesses throughout the UK with the exception of Wales.

To get around this problem, businesses should consider alternative forms of business finance to support ambitious growth plans such as asset financing.

Asset Finance New Business Rises 9%

5th January 2019 / admin / Comments Off

According to the most recent figures released by Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) new business in the asset finance sector increased by 9% year on year in the month of October. This indicates that Brexit uncertainty hasn’t put off firms looking to use asset finance to grow and develop their businesses.

With asset finance covering several sectors, some areas have shown even more spectacular growth than the overall figure suggests. Machinery finance for example showed growth of 16% compared to October 2017 while business equipment finance was up 29% which is nearly one third up. The commercial vehicle sector also saw an increase of 23%.

These figures represent a strong end to the 2018 which began with similarly positive increases in new business in the construction and agricultural asset finance sectors. The asset finance sector is on course for another record-breaking year which will come as welcome news as bank lending to business continues to show a decline in loan approvals across much of the UK.

Despite the good overall news, technology equipment finance saw a fall in new business which pushed the overall figure down. It will be interesting to see if growth in new asset finance business is maintained in 2019.

How AIA Can Help You Finance Your Equipment

4th January 2019 / admin / Comments Off

As we start the new year many of us will have plans to expand our business or perhaps look at new products and services. This may not be possible, however, without the extra costs involved in purchasing new equipment, new software and so on.

This extra cost burden can be off putting but if you take advantage of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) did you know that you can offset your investment in equipment and technology against tax?

Better still you can offset 100% of the investment against your taxable business income so not only do you get to improve your business operation and innovate, you can also reduce your tax burden at the same time. The allowance was also recently increased from £200k to £1million.

If you are planning to take advantage of the AIA this year you can use asset finance to spread the cost rather than invest all the cash in your business up front. This multiplies the benefit to your business.

The AIA was originally introduced in 2008 and the recent increase from £200k to £1million is designed to help stimulate investment in business at a time when it will be needed more than ever in the UK.

Is Your Start-up Prepared for A Loan?

20th December 2018 / admin / Comments Off

Starting a business from scratch is tough and the odds can be stacked against you if you don’t have enough investment capital to plough into the business at an early stage. Taking a loan, however, is also a major step which is why we have put together this guide to see if your startup is ready for a loan.

Do you have a business plan ready?
Having a business plan written down is a crucial step towards getting business finance. Lenders are going to want to see that you are serious about your business and a business plan indicates to them that you have took the time to develop your business and you have a clear pathway towards growing it.

Can you prove there is demand for your product or service?
Having a business idea and putting it into a plan is one thing but testing it out in the real market place is quite another. It will strengthen your case significantly if you can provide some data on real sales made and that your business idea works.

Finally, do you know what you need a loan for?
Applying for a business loan without any idea what it is for will almost certainly end in a failed application. Finance providers will be looking for some assurance over what the money will be used for.

Guide to the Benefits of Construction Finance

12th December 2018 / admin / Comments Off

The construction industry is a varied and complex business particularly on large development projects where there will be a number of parties involved. From developers to builders and investors each will have a role to play before a project reaches completion and everyone can benefit from the return on investment. With this in mind here are some of the key considerations when seeking construction finance and how specialist finance for the sector can help.

Construction finance can save time
Getting a development project off the ground often requires investors to finance 75% of the development cost. This can delay projects while investors are sought to meet this cost. Construction finance brokers can help secure the best rates and find suitable lenders.

Construction finance can help meet upfront payments
Construction companies will normally demand upfront payments before starting work on a project. This means developers will need the funds to pay them. These funds will come from investors but often to make investments more attractive, payments are staged. Construction finance can help with construction costs and plug any gaps in funding.

Construction companies can overcome cashflow challenges
The main challenges for construction companies are paying for raw materials and their workers. If a project is late being delivered and payment terms include a lump sum payment on completion this can mean delays to the final payment putting the business at risk. Construction finance can help reduce this risk and cover upfront costs.

Farm and Agricultural Finance

5th December 2018 / admin / Comments Off

With the uncertainties surrounding Brexit Farming in the UK faces an equally uncertain future depending on any deal eventually reached with the EU. Whichever way the deal goes the farming industry will almost certainly lose out on EU subsidies and this will make funding an even more important consideration in the future. So how can specialist agricultural finance help?

Agricultural finance plugs the funding gap
Many traditional sources of farm finance disappeared following the financial crisis of 2008 putting farm businesses under increased pressure to find alternatives. Agricultural finance is an attractive alternative aimed specifically at the industry.

Agricultural finance can be secured against real assets
Farming and agricultural businesses will often possess more assets than other business types making them ideal for asset finance. Assets such as land and property gives farmers an opportunity to use these assets to save or invest in their businesses.

Agricultural finance loans offer flexibility
Today farmers often need to diversify to survive. Areas such as renewable energy can provide some potentially lucrative opportunities to generate extra revenue. Agricultural finance enables farmers to invest in these types of projects and minimise risks at the same time.
If you would like to find out more about agricultural finance contact us today to find out more.

Types Of Business Finance You May Not Have Heard Of

20th November 2018 / admin / Comments Off

Your idea of business finance may be a trip to the bank to get a business loan and this is the route most SME business owners will go down. However, there are plenty of alternative sources of finance to explore including some of the following you may not be aware of.

Asset Finance
Asset finance is ideal for businesses that require expensive equipment but lack the funds to go and pay for all the equipment needed upfront. Asset finance can come in many forms from vehicle finance to finance on machinery. Asset finance is also flexible and can be arranged in the form of a lease or higher purchase (hp).

Invoice Financing
Did you know you can use your unpaid invoices to gain finance? You can use those invoices as collateral for loans or you can sell them to an invoice factoring company. This means you can get your hands-on cash in advance without having to wait for invoices to be paid. This is a great source of funding if you need cash in a hurry but with invoice financing you will still need to collect the invoice payments yourself.

Merchant cash advances
Another way to get your hands on some cash fast is to use a merchant cash advance. With this form of business finance, you receive a lump sum of cash up front and you won’t need to make a fixed payment each month. Finance can be paid back daily weekly or it can be paid out as a percentage of your sales from credit and debt cards. The downside is this type of finance can be more expensive than other options.

Why Should You Lease Rather Than Purchase…

7th November 2018 / admin / Comments Off

…Vehicles For Your Business?

There are many advantages to be gained from leasing using vehicle finance rather than purchasing a vehicle outright for your businesses. So it should come as no surprise that uptake continues to grow to the point where 300,000 cars were leased to UK companies according to statistics released last year (2017).

The two major attractions of financing rather than purchasing a vehicle include saving on the upfront cost and the ability to offset payments against tax. So while you may have enough cash in your business to purchase a van or a car, why would you when there are flexible ways to finance your vehicle and you can use that spare cash to fund and grow other areas of your business.

Vehicle finance like any other form of business finance works because you get to spend less cash which is ultimately what keeps a business afloat.

Vehicle finance can come in a variety of packages with the main ones being higher purchase agreements or business contract hire. The former is arranged on an agreed set monthly payment while the latter is an agreement to pay off the depreciation value of the vehicle.

Agreements can be arranged over a period that suits the business and its cash flow and the vehicle can either be sold at the end of the agreement or it can be transfer to your full ownership.

Can I Get A Small Business Loan For My Start Up?

10th October 2018 / admin / Comments Off

This is a common question asked by many a start-up founder who needs cash to get a business off the ground. The unfortunate reality is, a start-up represents a high risk to most lenders making them reluctant to provide loans to untested business start-ups.

While this might seem unfair, think of it from a lenders point of view. With an established business they will have some track record to go over before making the decision to lend. They will see things such as order books, records of paying customers and so on.

With a start up all they are likely to see is a business plan at best and an unproven business model. While the business might have huge potential in the eyes of the business owner, lenders, particularly those on the high street will be far more pragmatic.

Yet the start up phase is when a business is most likely to need the funding which is why it is important to discover what lenders of all types will be looking for before they offer a business loan.

If your business doesn’t have any sort of track record to rely on, then lenders will look at things such as your personal credit rating. If this is good then it will make you less of a risk as the business owner. Also you could look at alternative sources of finance such as asset finance depending on the assets your business might already possess.

Common Questions About Asset Finance Answered

20th June 2018 / admin / Comments Off

Asset finance can be the key to achieving real growth in your business particularly when you need a flexible way to raise finance while protecting your cashflow at the same time. Here are some answers to some of the common questions we receive from business owners who ask about asset finance.

Why use asset finance instead of paying in full for the asset?
Like any other form of lending, asset finance gives you the flexibility to continue to invest in your business without using up all your capital. Paying in full means using up your cash which can leave your business vulnerable in a downturn.

How hard is it to get asset finance for my business?
An increasing number of businesses are benefiting from asset finance and it among one of the most accessible sources of funding out there. Compared to other alternative forms of finance for your business, asset finance can often be the best option.

What can I use asset finance for?
Asset finance is used to invest in equipment that is needed to improve areas such as productivity, and efficiency or to expand your business into new areas with investments in assets including machinery.

If you would like to find out how asset finance can help your business, give us a call. Our experts are happy to answer any of your questions

Asset-Based Finance and SMEs

8th September 2014 / admin / Comments Off

Can Asset-Based Finance Help SMEs Stay Afloat?

Having a steady cash flow is critical for any business and startups and smaller firms are certainly no exceptions. How can these companies prove that they are creditworthy? What if multiple financial institutions deny them loans? This is where other financial options can come into play, including asset-backed financing. The UK has taken it one step further and hopes to improve cash flow for SMEs.

The UK government announced on Aug. 6 that banks must forward SMEs’ unsuccessful loan applications to other potential finance providers, including asset-based financiers. According to the Asset-Based Finance Association (ABFA)–the body that represents the asset-based finance industry in the UK and the Republic of Ireland–the move could be huge for small business funding in the UK.

By referring SMEs to platforms that will connect them with other finance providers, more businesses could be enabled to find the funding they need, according to the ABFA. The organization said that 40 percent of businesses give up on finding funding after being turned down by their banks.

“Asset-based finance is a key part of the tool-kit available to assist the cashflow of UK and Irish businesses,” ABFA Chief Executive Jeff Longhurst said. “It’s great to see the government acknowledge that the industry is already making an enormous contribution to funding the economic recovery and can make an even greater contribution in the future.”

Longhurst added that the ABFA hopes that the news measures “will begin to close the knowledge gap that is preventing small businesses from accessing the funding ABFA members can provide.”

According to Longhurst, ABFA members have been providing finance to SMEs for more than 50 years and currently fund more than 43,000 businesses with a combined turnover of £68 billion. The industry is still willing and able, however, to support more companies.

The value of business funding provided by ABFA members has risen to £17.5 billion–29 percent–since the peak of the recession in 2009. More traditional types of lending have fallen by 19 percent over the same period, the ABFA reported.

America’s attempt at helping SMBs

The United States is also working to help smaller firms acquire the proper funds. According to the New England regional administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Seth Goodall, the SBA is changing its guarantee process in an effort to help small companies.

Specifically, the SBA is streamlining its underwriting by making a total credit scoring model it’s been testing and refining for more than a decade available to all of the organization’s lending partners on loans of no more than $350,000.

“The SBA total credit score combines an entrepreneur’s personal and business credit scores and makes it easier and less time-intensive for banks to do business with the SBA,” Goodall wrote in a recent New Hampshire Business Review post. “This model is cost-reducing and credit-based. It ensures that risk characteristics – not socioeconomic factors – determine who is deemed creditworthy. “Along with this simplification, we’re eliminating requirements for time-consuming analyses of a company’s cash flow on small loans under $350,000, a step that can delay loan decisions.”

Additionally, Goodall explained that at the beginning of the fiscal year in October, the SBA set fees to zero on loans of $150,000 or less, which it sees as another way to reduce the costs for lenders of making small-dollar loans.

“We know that the key to a strong and lasting middle class is opportunity for all,” Goodall wrote. “The president has made clear that we must grow our economy from the middle out. Key to that is access to the American dream of starting and owning your own business. By making SBA loans easier and more affordable, more lenders will join our program, more small businesses will have access to our lending products and more entrepreneurs will succeed.”