CDFA today welcomed Vince Cable’s announcement of £1bn backing for a British Business Bank – but said the new body must work with community finance providers otherwise starved small businesses won’t benefit. Continue reading
News
Payday loans soar
17.09.2012 BBC News Personal Finance Correspondent, Simon Gompertz, writes on his blog today that loans and profits at high interest lender Wonga have soared in the last 12 months. Continue reading
Social Investment demand could be £1billion by 2016
13.09.2012 A new report says that demand in the social investment market in England could reach £1 billion by 2016, six times what it is today. Continue reading
Big Society Capital announces first investments and will invest £50m by year end
13.09.2012 Big Society Capital – the world’s first social investment bank – today announced details of initial investment commitments totalling £37m since it was launched in April 2012. Continue reading
New scheme launched to help underwrite community share issues
10.09.2012 A new revolving fund of £500,000 has been launched to help underwrite community share issues. Continue reading
UK business: ambitions up, capital down, says survey
08.09.12 The Investec Entrepreneur Confidence Index shows encouraging ambitions for business growth – but found that only six per cent of respondents to a survey expected accessing capital for their growth plans to be easy. Continue reading
Banking Reform proposals do not adequately support economic growth
07.09.2012: The UK’s banks need to re-focus on the core business of ‘lending to the real economy so as to contribute to balanced and sustainable growth’ according to a submission to the Banking Reform White Paper, issued today. Continue reading
New figures show collapse in bank lending, and unsung heroes filling gaps
The Bank of England’s latest Trends in Lending report (pdf) has confirmed that lending to UK businesses fell by £3bn in the three months to May, with small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) especially hard hit. Continue reading
The Guardian: CDFI growth of 300%
An opinion column by Deborah Orr in The Guardian newspaper covers banking reform and highlights CDFIs’ growth since 2006. Read it here. What next? Media / journalists: Responsible Finance, our members and clients have featured in… Continue reading
£80bn scheme a missed opportunity for businesses who won’t see a penny
The government has missed a vital opportunity to help the most vulnerable businesses in the UK, said CDFA’s Ben Hughes today, adding “small local businesses starved of bank finance won’t see a penny of this fund.” Continue reading