ART Business Loans secures £7m backing to expand SME lending

ART Business Loans has secured £7m in new funding from the British Business Bank to increase lending to smaller businesses across the West Midlands, strengthening access to finance for underserved firms in the region.

The Birmingham-based lender received the allocation through the British Business Bank’s Community ENABLE Fund, a programme designed to boost the capacity of social impact SME lenders. The facility will enable ART to extend loans of more than £25,000 to businesses that may struggle to access traditional bank finance.

The funding broadens ART’s existing support, which currently ranges from £10,000 to £250,000 for companies looking to grow, invest and create jobs. With this agreement, ART becomes the fourth accredited delivery partner under the Community ENABLE Fund, a scheme aiming to facilitate up to £150m of lending in its first two years.

Chief Executive Steve Walker said the additional capital comes at a time when many smaller businesses continue to face economic pressure. He noted that more than 75 per cent of the businesses supported by ART are based in underserved areas and communities, closely aligning with the British Business Bank’s mission to improve access to finance for entrepreneurs who are often overlooked by mainstream lenders.

Business Lending Manager Roz Haque added that the organisation is focused on supporting firms seeking funding to expand, create employment opportunities, upskill staff and contribute positively to their local communities.

The transaction reinforces ART’s role as a regionally focused, socially driven lender, combining targeted public-backed funding with on-the-ground expertise to channel capital into areas where it can generate the greatest economic and social impact.