Support for Larger Firms through the COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility
Guidance has been updated 28 May for The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS).
This scheme provides financial support to larger businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
The scheme helps medium and large sized businesses to access loans and other kinds of finance up to £200 million.
The government guarantees 80% of the finance to the lender.
Eligibility
You can apply for a loan if your business:
- is based in the UK
- has an annual turnover of over £45 million
- has not received support under the Bank of England’s COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF)
You need to show that:
- your business would be viable were it not for the pandemic
- your business has been affected by coronavirus
- the loan will enable you to trade out of any short-term to medium-term difficulty resulting from coronavirus
If you are borrowing more than £50 million you must agree to restrictions on dividend payments, senior pay and share buy-backs during the period of the loan. Check the eligibility requirements.
Who cannot apply:
- Businesses from any sector can apply, except:
- banks, insurers and reinsurers (but not insurance brokers)
- building societies
- public-sector bodies
- state-funded primary and secondary schools
What you can get
You can apply for:
- loans
- revolving credit facilities (including overdrafts)
- invoice finance
- asset finance
A lender can provide up to 25% of your annual turnover. The maximum amount you can borrow is £200 million.
How long the loan is for
Finance is available from 3 months to 3 years.
How to apply
There are 12 lenders taking part in the scheme including all the main retail banks. You should approach a suitable lender yourself via the lender’s website.
You will need to tell the lender:
- the amount you would like to borrow
- what the money is for
- how long you would like to pay it back
Supporting documents
You will need to provide documents that show you can afford to repay the loan.
These may include:
- management accounts
- cash flow forecast
- business plan
- historic accounts
- details of assets
The documents you need will depend on the lender. A loan could still be an option even if you do not have everything listed here.
The lender will check that the loan is:
- for a suitable business purpose
- affordable for you
- the right type of finance for your needs
The lender will decide whether to offer you a loan or another type of finance. Your business will be responsible for repaying 100% of the amount you borrow.
If the lender turns you down
If one lender turns you down, you can apply to other lenders in the scheme.
You may want to consider using a broker to find the right type of finance for your needs, or do your own research using the British Business Bank’s Finance Guide.
See: https://thebusinessfinanceguide.co.uk/