Business Loans

Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF)

The Midlands Engine Investment Fund is supported by the European Regional Development Fund, and provides commercially focused finance through Small Business Loans, Debt Finance, Proof of concept and Equity Finance funds.

The Midlands Engine Investment Fund aims to transform the finance landscape for smaller businesses in the Midlands and to realise the region’s potential to achieve economic growth through enterprise.

MEIF is a collaboration between the British Business Bank and ten Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the West Midlands and East and South East Midlands.

MEIF provides over £300m of investment to boost small and medium business (SME) growth in the Midlands.

Please note this fund has now reached the end of its investment period.

Midlands Engine Investment Fund II (MEIF II)

Building on the success of the first Midlands Investment Fund, the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II aims to provide a £400m commitment of funding for smaller businesses whilst supporting access to early-stage finance.

The fund will drive sustainable economic growth by supporting new and growing businesses across the Midlands, through investment strategies that best meet these firms’ needs. It includes a range of finance options with loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments up to £5 million to help small and medium-sized businesses start up, scale up, or stay ahead.

If your business is in the Midlands and you want to scale up, select one of the funding options below to see how we can help.

Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS)

BCRS Business Loans is an accredited lender for the new iteration of the Recovery Loan Scheme

The updated Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) launched in August 2022 and is designed to support access to finance for UK small businesses as they look to invest and grow.

The Recovery Loan Scheme aims to improve the terms on offer to borrowers. If a lender can offer a commercial loan on better terms, they will do so.

Businesses that took out a CBILS, CLBILS, BBLS or RLS facility before 30 June 2022 are not prevented from accessing RLS from August 2022, although in some cases it may reduce the amount a business can borrow.

Recovery Loan Scheme-backed facilities are provided at the discretion of the lender. Lenders are required to undertake their standard credit and fraud checks for all applicants.

Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Business Loan Fund

BCRS Business Loans work in partnership with Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council to deliver the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Business Loan Fund.

As a non-profit organisation, we prioritise a personalised approach to business finance. Our decisions are based on your business and its unique circumstances, rather than relying solely on automated credit scores.

To date, we’ve supported over 400 businesses with £15 million in business loans throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Take your business to the next level with affordable, unsecured business loans from £10,000 to £50,000.

Wolverhampton Independent Retail Loan Fund (WIRLF)

The Wolverhampton Independent Retail Loan Fund offers business loans from £1,000 to £10,000 to retailers in Wolverhampton who are unable to secure finance from traditional lenders.*

At BCRS Business Loans, we understand that securing the necessary funding for businesses will enable them, and in turn the local economy, to grow and prosper.

The Loan Fund is run by BCRS Business Loans with City of Wolverhampton Council.

Community Investment Enterprise Facility (CIEF)

At BCRS, we know many social enterprises and charities struggle to secure the funding needed to grow and meet their social goals, especially in disadvantaged communities.

Facilitated by the Community Investment Enterprise Facility (CIEF), we are proud to support social enterprises and charities in the West Midlands.

CIEF was established by social investment champion Better Society Capital, is managed by Social Investment Scotland and delivered on a local level by BCRS Business Loans.

In addition, we are delighted to be working with Sheffield Hallam University on a long-term research project to measure the impact of this fund and how it can benefit traditionally underserved areas.

Please note this fund has now reached the end of its investment period.

Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF)

Lloyds Bank is the first major bank to finance loans via socially driven Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), including BCRS Business Loans, by supporting the £62m Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF), which aims to help 800 small businesses and support 10,500 jobs.

We are proud to be offering CIEF investment to SMEs across the West Midlands and Wales, especially important in economically disadvantaged areas, who are unable to access finance from traditional sources by providing secure business loans from between £10,000 and £150,000 to support growth and recovery plans.

This fund follows a successful first phase of the Community Investment Enterprise Facility fund and is managed by Social Investment Scotland (SIS).