News

Regional analysis of Coronavirus loan schemes shows continued even distribution across the UK

  • Data shows the distribution of loans offered tracks the business population of each region
  • Wholesale & Retail sector shows highest usage relative to size of sector for both CBILS and BBLS

New data published today reveals that the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) facilities are continuing to be accessed evenly across the UK.

Both schemes provide financial support to businesses across the UK that are losing revenue and seeing their cashflow disrupted, as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Regional data

The second set of regional and sector lending data, released by the British Business Bank today, shows a continuing pattern with the proportion of the schemes’ loans in each of the nine English regions and three Devolved Nations matching closely their respective share of the UK business population.

Patrick Magee, Chief Commercial Officer, British Business Bank, said: “The British Business Bank is committed to identifying and helping reduce regional imbalances in access to finance for smaller businesses across the UK. It’s therefore encouraging that the data shows a continued benefit to well over a million smaller businesses spread across the whole country, helping them with much-needed emergency finance so they are better placed to survive, stabilise and prepare for future growth.”

CBILS by region

RegionValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
East Midlands1,013 4,1247%6%
East of England1,348
5,79610%10%
London2,8099,89218%19%
North East3441,5203%3%
North West1,5015,84610%10%
Northern Ireland3331,0912%2%
Scotland7593,3006%6%
South East2,1559,02616%16%
South West1,1695,1209%10%
Wales3741,6913%4%
West Midlands1,1194,7228%8%
Yorkshire and The Humber9644,2328%7%
Region not specified411310%0%

BBLS by region

RegionValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
East Midlands2,37381,354 6%6%
East of England3,685
121,848 10%10%
London8,652 259,655 20%19%
North East1,107 39,991 3%3%
North West3,980135,124 11%10%
Northern Ireland1,039 33,645 3%2%
Scotland2,18876,011 6%6%
South East5,270175,946 14%16%
South West2,881 102,569 8%10%
Wales1,347 48,893 4%4%
West Midlands3,117 102,322 8%8%
Yorkshire and The Humber2,637 89,851 7%7%
Region not specified551,7720%0%

Sector data

The Wholesale and Retail sector has accessed a significantly higher proportion of CBILS loans (18%) than its share of the business population (9.3%), with Manufacturing (13% v 4.7%) and Accommodation and Food Services (8% v 3.4%) following a similar pattern.

The Wholesale and Retail sector also accessed a relatively high proportion of Bounce Back Loans compared to its business population share (16% v 9%), as did businesses in Accommodation and Food Services (8% v 3.4%) and Real Estate Services (6% v 1.9%).

CBILS by sector

SectorValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles2,612 10,270 18%9.3%
Manufacturing2,047 7,376 13%4.7%
Construction1,785 7,815 14%17.7%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities1,4446,009 11%14.8%
Administrative and Support Service Activities1,376 6,017 11%8.7%
Accommodation and Food Service Activities1,212 4,494 8%3.4%
Information and Communication615 2,608 5%6.3%
Transportation and Storage5002,2644%6.1%
Human Health and Social Work Activities453 2,496 4%6.1%
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation419 1,558 3%4.9%
Real Estate Activities342 1,244 2%1.9%
Financial and Insurance Activities323 737 1%1.5%
Education273 827 1%5.2%
Other Service Activities2321,570 3%5.8%
Mining and Quarrying; Electricity, Gas and Air Conditioning Supply; Water Supply; Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation Activities196 7091%0.6%
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing854641%2.7%
Sector not specified13330%0.0%

BBLS by sector
SectorValue of Loans Offered (£m)Number of Loans OfferedProportion of Offered FacilitiesProportion of UK Business Population
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles6,946 196,740 16%9.3%
Construction6,148 210,482 17%17.7%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities3,920 139,996 11%14.8%
Accommodation and Food Service Activities3,598 102,464 8%3.4%
Real Estate Activities2,717 76,955 6%1.9%
Administrative and Support Service Activities2,639 90,922 7%8.7%
Manufacturing2,340 74,223 6%4.7%
Transportation and Storage1,767 67,162 5%6.1%
Other Service Activities1,731 82,192 6%5.8%
Information and Communication1,695 57,689 5%6.3%
Human Health and Social Work Activities1,537 52,455 4%6.1%
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing1,14835,470 3%2.7%
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation811 32,566 3%4.9%
Education63527,5932%5.2%
Financial and Insurance Activities348 10,482 1%1.5%
Mining and Quarrying; Electricity, Gas and Air Conditioning Supply; Water Supply; Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation Activities30395181%0.6%
Unknown492,0720%0.0%

Download full breakdown by parliamentary constituency

All data to end of 4 October 2020.

ENDS