BCRS Business Loans drives £53m economic impact as SME lending grows

BCRS Business Loans has generated more than £53 million in economic impact across the West Midlands and Wales, as lending to underserved SMEs continues to increase.

The community lender provided £10.2 million in funding to 112 businesses during the 2025–26 financial year, supporting 895 jobs and creating 260 new roles.

The figures highlight the growing importance of community development finance institutions in delivering working capital to businesses unable to access traditional bank funding.

Chief executive Stephen Deakin said the results demonstrate the organisation’s continued commitment to supporting SMEs “when they need it most”.

Backed by programmes from the British Business Bank, BCRS is expanding its reach across regional markets, reinforcing the role of public-private funding structures in SME finance.