Policy paper

SME Finance Charter

Five pledges from UK banks and finance providers to support their small and medium sized business (SME) customers.

From:
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and HM Treasury
Published
9 October 2019
Last updated
16 June 2022 — See all updates
This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Documents

The SME Finance Charter: what the 5 pledges mean for business

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Lenders signed up to the Charter, and their commitments

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Details

The Charter consists of 5 commitments that provide a framework for finance providers to set out their specific undertaking to SMEs.

The SME Finance Charter

Five pledges from UK banks and finance providers to support their SME customers:

1. We’re open for business and ready to lend.

2. We’ll help you build back better after COVID-19.

3. We’ll support your application and signpost other options if needed.

4. We’ll treat you fairly at all times.

5. We’ll work with the government-owned British Business Bank to support SMEs.

These high-level commitments have been signed off by the Business Finance Council, a collaboration between finance providers, business organisations and government.

They reflect the areas that government, finance providers and businesses have identified as being significant in ensuring that the SME finance market works effectively.

Find out what the pledges mean for business.

Updates to this page

Published 9 October 2019
Last updated 16 June 2022 + show all updates

  1. Art Business Loans and Optimum Finance added to list of signatories.

  2. Added HSBC to list of lenders signed up to the Charter.

  3. List of lenders updated.

  4. List of lenders signed up to the Charter, and links to their commitments added.

  5. First published.

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