BII Recovery Loan Scheme

This Programme is now closed for applications.

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What is the fund?

The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) launched on 6 April 2021 and supports access to finance for UK businesses as they recover and grow following the Covid-19 pandemic.

RLS aims to help businesses affected by Covid-19 and can be used for business purposes, including, managing cashflow, investment and growth. It is designed to support businesses that can afford to take out additional finance for these purposes.

Businesses who have taken out a CBILS, CLBILS or BBLS facility are able to access the new scheme. A key aim of the Recovery Loan Scheme is to improve the terms on offer to businesses, but if a lender can offer a business the choice of a commercial loan on better terms, without requiring the guarantee provided by the RLS, they should do so.

At Autumn Budget 2021, the government announced that the Recovery Loan Scheme will be extended by six months to 30 June 2022, with changes applying to all offers made from the 1 January 2022


Scheme features include:


Eligibility Criteria:

  • Covid-19 impact: The borrower must confirm to the lender that it has been impacted by Covid-19.
  • UK-based: The borrower must be carrying out trading activity in the UK.
  • Viability test: The lender will consider that the borrower has a viable business proposition but may disregard any concerns over its short-to-medium term business performance due to the uncertainty and impact of Covid-19.
  • Credit and fraud checks for all applicants: Lenders will be required to undertake credit and fraud checks for all applicants as they would for commercial facilities. The checks and approach may vary between lenders.

Turnover limit:

  • Businesses with a turnover not exceeding £45m per annum

Eligibility Restrictions:

Please note: The following are not eligible under RLS:

  • Banks, Building Societies, Insurers and Reinsurers (excluding Insurance Brokers)
  • Public sector bodies.
  • State funded primary and secondary schools.

Business Finance Support

The British Business Bank has a range of guidance and resources available to all businesses, including content on managing your cashflow and a list of independent advice services.

Apply for the Recovery Loan – click here


Legal Notice

The Recovery Loan Scheme is managed by the British Business Bank on behalf of, and with the financial backing of, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. British Business Bank plc is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. It is not authorised or regulated by the PRA or the FCA.

Visit www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/recovery-loan-scheme/