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Business finance

Sources of business finance are listed below.

The government's flagship scheme is the:

Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme

In the current climate, businesses are finding it increasingly hard to access the finance they need, particularly working capital. This is not because the business has suddenly transformed from a success to a failure; but because the current economic conditions have made a significant impact on the availability of capital as the banks change their approach to risk and tighten lending conditions. Under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, the Government will guarantee lending to viable businesses to ensure that they can get the working capital and investment that they need.

The guarantee can be used to support new loans, to refinance existing loans where the loan is at risk due to deteriorating quality of security, or to convert an existing overdraft into a loan to release capacity to meet working capital requirements.

Other schemes and further information are available from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

Business Payment Support Service

Her Majestys Revenue and Customs introduced a new, dedicated Business Support Service designed to meet the needs of businesses affected by the current economic conditions.

Refused by mainstream banks?

CART is Cumbria’s only Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) and the only rural CDFI in the north of England. This is a sustainable, independent organisation providing financial services across Cumbria with the aim of creating social improvement and business development returns.


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Allerdale Borough Council
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