“The latest Bank of England data indicates a fairly sustained rise in new lending since early 2024 and in the most recent quarter, Q1 2026, gross lending was 14 per cent higher than the same quarter a year ago – the largest increase since the end of 2024.”
UK Finance, Monthly Economic Review – June 2026
A sustained rise in lending is positive news for your small businesses. Improved access to capital opens up more strategic options and a more stable financial future.
But if you’ve applied for funding and received the much-needed capital injection, how do you get maximum value from these new funds?
Let’s take a look at four core steps you can take to maximise this capital, reboot your growth strategy and start hitting your initial expansion goals.
1. Have clear budgets for each growth phase
Set precise budgets for each department and each step in your growth strategy. These budgets need to be tied to specific operational and growth goals, so you can track progress and monitor spending against the key growth milestones in your wider strategy.
By keeping a close eye on the financial metrics, you can prevent overspending and keep your capital focused on the most important strategic objectives.
2. Control operational spending and cashflow
Track overheads to make sure your much-needed capital is being used in the most productive ways. By cutting back unnecessary operational expenditure, you free up more working capital and improve your gross margins. This helps make your capital go further and achieve more.
Think about reviewing areas like staff expenses, software subscriptions, energy usage and fuel usage to rein in spending and boost your overall cash position.
3. Boost your revenue generation
Focus on improving your revenue generation. With more income coming into the business, you have more liquid cash to support your growth potential.
Think about ramping up your marketing activity, offering discounts to long-term customers and updating your price points to drive more sales and greater revenue.
4. Top up your capital with government grants
There are plenty of government-backed schemes aimed at providing capital and boosting the growth of UK plc. Government grants offer capital without the need for you to pay back this funding. You can search for available regional, national and industry-specific grants here.
By topping up your funding with government grants, you extend the capacity of your capital and make it easier to cover the costs of your growth plans.
Better access to lending is certainly good news for the small business community. But to really maximise the return on your borrowing, you need a clear funding strategy.
Book some time with our team to talk through your growth goals, capital requirements and broader strategy for bringing extra funds into the business.
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