Responsible Finance has set out seven proposals to boost the availability of finance for fundable but under-served small businesses and break down barriers to economic growth. Our submission to the Treasury Select Committee’s Inquiry on SME… Continue reading
Category: News
Peter Udale appointed Chair of Responsible Finance
“Jewels in UK financial sector with astonishing impact on businesses and individual lives have potential to do even more.” Responsible Finance thanks Charles Dodwell for serving as Chair for four years and welcomes Peter Udale to… Continue reading
More than 3 million may have borrowed from illegal moneylenders – new report urges boost to community lending sector
28 June 2023: Over 3 million people in Great Britain may have borrowed from an illegal moneylender in the last three years according to new research by IPSOS for Fair4All Finance. Results from a new online… Continue reading
22% rise in people and businesses turning to ‘social purpose’ lenders as cost-of-living pressures bite for households and small firms
17 May 2023: The number of people, businesses and social enterprises borrowing from the UK’s not-for-profit, ‘community development’ lenders has leaped by 22% to nearly 95,000 in 2022. New figures from Responsible Finance, which represents community… Continue reading
UK public think credit scores unfair, as organisations call for reform of credit information market
27.04.2023: Seven out of ten (70%) of UK adults believe it’s unfair for someone’s postcode or location to have a negative impact on a credit score, new research reveals today. More than half (55%) of adults… Continue reading
Coalition calls for Fair Banking Act, which public would back
27 March 2023: A large majority of the UK public would back a proposed ‘Fair Banking Act,’ according to findings from a new poll by Opinium Research for the Fair Banking for All coalition. The coalition… Continue reading
Responsible Finance and NatWest Hardship Grants
21 March 2023: Six Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) have received funding through the Responsible Finance and NatWest Hardship Grants programme. Our members Adage Credit, Conduit Loans (part of Five Lamps), Fair Finance, Lancashire Community Finance,… Continue reading
Community Investment Tax Relief expansion will help close finance gap
15 March 2023: In today’s Budget the Government has announced an expansion in Community Investment Tax Relief, a targeted intervention which increases access to finance for SMEs, social enterprises and charities by stimulating private investment in… Continue reading
CDFIs instrumental in Dormant Assets delivery, Responsible Finance welcomes consultation response
7th March 2023: today the government announced social investment and financial inclusion will continue to be supported by money from dormant accounts when the scheme expands to include assets from additional industries. This is good news… Continue reading
Block Inc and Unity Trust Bank investment in ART breaks new ground
2 March 2023: Global technology company Block Inc and ethical lender Unity Trust Bank break new ground in impact and place-based investing in the UK with £4m investment into ART Business Loans (ART), one of the… Continue reading