It is sometimes difficult to know who to believe when there is conflicting information emanating from two supposedly reputable sources – the pre-Brexit propaganda war immediately springs to mind. In this case, we have the NACFB proclaiming that there is a ‘plethora of lenders’ in the market, while Small Business recently reported that 1,093 small companies are expected to cease trading in January through lack of finance. This sits alongside other, equally alarming statistics such as the fact that 3,633 business failed in Q3 of 2016 and that only 41.4% of UK businesses started in 2010 survived to their fifth birthday.
Of course, some of the companies heading for the drop will not have been up to standard in the first place, but it beggars belief that they should all be in this category. Is it that the owners of these businesses simply don’t know what sources of finance are available and don’t know where to turn? Or is the NACFB mistaken? Either way, there is clearly some kind of information gap.
We know from other sources that, partly due to the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, SMEs are currently of a mind to borrow less and to hold on to more of their cash; according to the British Bankers Association (BBA), SME lending in Q3 2016 dropped 13% against the same period in 2015. The BBA also revealed that SME deposits have risen by 5% to over £170bn.
The trends suggest fear of what the future may hold. Many SMEs are trapped in a cash flow squeeze brought about by staff who expect to be paid monthly and suppliers who routinely pay on 60 or even 90 day terms. What do you do – turn away business that might give you a 30% profit margin or borrow the working capital which may cost the equivalent of 10%? The logical answer may not be immediately apparent to everyone.
Invoice finance undoubtedly has its place in the market, but it is no panacea. Because of the high costs involved in terms of fees and maintenance, at worst it can be an expensive fix that suits the provider far more than it suits the SME.
Subject to appropriate due diligence processes and appropriate security, P2P loans are available to help with a wide variety of problems, including short term cash flow. They are also available to companies that want to borrow to invest and grow. There is no stigma attached to borrowing money for the right reason and at the right price. There has never been a better time.
