The British Business Bank (BBB) was supporting £12.2 billion of lending to over 96,000 businesses at the end of March 2022, according to its annual report.

As part of its role in reducing regional imbalances the BBB was deploying £900 million of finance and supporting almost 83,000 businesses outside London at the end of March 2022.

In addition, its Regional Angels programme made six new commitments totalling £45 million, to help reduce regional imbalances in access to seed and early-stage equity finance for smaller businesses across the UK.

And its Start Up Loans programme was allocated a further three years of funding, which will deliver around 11,000 loans.

Catherine Lewis La Torre, CEO, British Business Bank, said:

‘We have increased our impact and market reach to smaller businesses across the UK's regions and nations and designed innovative programmes while at the same time generating an attractive return on capital employed.

Despite this success over the last financial year, we are aware that areas of economic and geopolitical uncertainty remain. The serious headwinds that the economy is encountering make a national economic development bank an invaluable strategic asset, and we are ready and prepared to play whatever role is required to support UK smaller businesses.'

Internet link: British Business Bank website