Responsible finance provider BCRS Business Loans has passed a significant milestone after reaching £100 million in total lending to businesses since it launched.
Working to its goal of ensuring no viable business goes unsupported since it was formed in 2002, Wolverhampton-based BCRS Business Loans has generated overall £518 million in economic impact.
Minister for Small Businesses Gareth Thomas and Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker have been among those to congratulate the team on their progress.
Up to the end of April 2025, BCRS Business Loans supported 1,594 businesses that were unable to access traditional finance, creating over 5,900 jobs and safeguarding 11,779 existing roles.
The lender has demonstrated a strong commitment to inclusive growth with 20 percent of supported businesses being female-led and 44 percent located in areas of economic deprivation.
Stephen Deakin, Chief Executive of community development financial institution (CDFI) BCRS Business Loans, said:
“Reaching the £100 million lending milestone is a testament to our unwavering commitment to supporting businesses that struggle to access mainstream finance.
“Behind this figure thousands of businesses have grown, creating jobs and prosperity in their communities. This achievement reflects the dedication of our entire team. As a business with a strong heritage, we are proud to continue expanding our reach, now supporting businesses across the Midlands and Wales.”
BCRS Business Loans delivers the Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF), with loans ranging from £25,000 to £250,000. The lender recently celebrated reaching £5 million in CIEF loans delivered to 62 businesses, creating 160 jobs and protecting a further 613 while generating £32.5 million in economic impact.
The £62 million CIEF is funded by Lloyds, along with social impact investor Better Society Capital, and managed by responsible finance provider Social Investment Scotland, with contributions from the three participating Community Development Finance Institutions, BCRS Business Loans, Business Enterprise Fund and Finance for Enterprise.
BCRS Business Loans delivers parts of two British Business Bank-backed funds as fund manager for the small funds pot of the first £130 million Investment Fund for Wales and for the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, which will deliver a £400 million commitment of new funding for businesses across the Midlands.
Gareth Thomas, Minister for Small Businesses said:
“Community development finance institutions like BCRS Business Loans play a vital role in ensuring that all those with the ambition to start and scale up a business can access the finance they need to succeed.
“Reaching £100 million in lending is a significant milestone, demonstrating how targeted financial support can empower business growth, generate jobs and help create a more inclusive UK economy that benefits all.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:
“Small and medium sized businesses are the engine room of our economy and BCRS Business Loans is helping them to unlock the government-backed investment they need to scale up and create jobs.
“This support has driven real growth over the last year, from helping a Black Country manufacturer double its turnover to bringing a heritage Birmingham building back into use as a thriving bar and restaurant. And more than 1,000 jobs created or protected.
“These are the businesses that will push the region out of economic stagnation and get us back to growth. That’s why I’m focussed on making sure these, and thousands of other businesses across the region, can access the funding and expert advice they need to get firing on all cylinders.”
Keira Shepperson, Investment Director at British Business Bank, said:
“As fund manager for the Investment Fund for Wales and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, BCRS Business Loans is a valued partner in delivering vital support to businesses that traditional lenders often overlook.
“Working together, the £400 million MEIF II commitment across the Midlands and the £130 million Investment Fund for Wales represent our shared commitment to addressing regional imbalances in access to finance.”
BCRS is an active member of Responsible Finance, the trade association for the responsible finance industry which provides finance and support to help enterprises and individuals develop and create wealth including support to disadvantaged communities.
Responsible Finance CEO Theodora Hadjimichael said:
“Congratulations to BCRS Business Loans on their achievement of £100 million in lending, which demonstrates the vital role that CDFIs play in supporting local economies and businesses that traditional lenders often overlook. We are pleased to see BCRS making such significant strides in providing access to fair finance and driving inclusive economic growth in the regions they serve.”
Passing the £100m landmark comes on the back of the lender’s strong performance in the 2024-25 financial year, one of its most successful to date, which saw £9,900,502 provided to 124 businesses, a 68% increase in the number of SMEs supported from the previous year.
The funding safeguarded 889 jobs and created 317 new roles while adding £51.2 million to the economy of the West Midlands, surrounding regions and Wales. In total, 34.6% of the funding was directed to the UK’s most disadvantaged areas.
Last month BCRS Business Loans was named as a finalist for small business of the year at the Express & Star Business Awards 2025, honouring business success stories of the Black Country and Staffordshire.
