Fair finance for North East businesses

Start, scale, and secure your business with a flexible loan of up to £250,000.

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Why do you need a business loan?

Start your business

Hit he ground running. Get a government-backed loan to help you through the earliest stages of starting up your own business.

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Manage your cash flow

Working capital loans let you balance the cash going in with what's going out. Cover seasonal peaks and troughs, stay prepared for the unexpected.

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Grow your business faster

Hire staff. Boost capacity. Move to new premises. Market to new customers. Invest confidently in every stage of growth.

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Refinance short-term debt

Costly short-term loans seem like a good idea at the time. Refinance them to free up cash flow and keep money in your business.

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Who do we lend to, and where?

Businesses at every stage of growth can access finance from BEF North East: pre-starts, startups, small businesses, and growing businesses trying to scale.

Because we take a dedicated place-based approach to lending, our loan managers have a deep knowledge of the North East's business culture. From Berwick to Blyth, Durham to Darlington, trust us to know how the region works.

Dedicated business finance for the North East

"Business Enterprise Fund North East is proud to be the region's only officially recognised Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI). CDFIs have a mission to create economic value and social impact in the regions they serve.

If traditional lenders like high street banks have let you down, let us take a look at your requirements. Since 2013, we've taken pride in finding ways to get these deals over the line."

-Lee Vickers, Regional Director

Not-for-profit lending
Human-made decisions
Focus on relationships
A trusted alternative to traditional lenders
Backed by government
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Business lending in motion

See the kind of impact BEF North East is making, direct from the people whose businesses power the region's economy.

North East lending in 2025/26

£ 7m

Total invested in startups and SMEs

1,338

Jobs created or protected

301

Individual loans approved

Real North East success stories

Behind every loan, there's a story of a startup or SME owner who's thriving thanks to fair, flexible finance.

Business loan FAQs

Your questions answered. Here are the most common queries we get about finance for startups and SMEs in the North East of England.

Got a different question? Talk to one of our team
How much can I borrow?
Do you fund startups?
What can I use a business loan for?
How do I know what option is right for me?

Business lending with impact

Thousands of startup founders and SME owners are thriving thanks to BEF business loans. Here's what they have to say about us.

    “The application process was thorough, but the support I received from the team at BEF North East was fantastic. Whenever I needed guidance, they were there to help, and that made a huge difference throughout the process.”

    Joshua Hall

    NE1 Fitness

    “Dealing with [BEF North East] was a like a breath of fresh air. I’d had appalling experiences with other lenders, but this was completely different. Things were done properly. Without this loan I’d have been forced to take a bit of a career step back, but BEF made my dream come true.”

    "Antony [my Loan Manager] was brilliant. He asked the right questions, gave me little pushes in the right direction. I always like to take advice from multiple people on the business strategy side of things; Ant definitely helped me as a businessperson as well as arranging my loans.”

    Mark Taylor

    MTP Gas

    “I didn’t realise how simple the process was going to be. And I was getting the kind of advice which I could have done with 18 months ago, like how to sharpen up my business plan. BEF asked all the right questions, they had that insight."

    Richard Rigg

    Rigga Repairs

    “I can’t fault my Investment Manager, Shannon Donaghy, for any reason. I’d give her 20 out of 10 for communication. If I got stuck, I’d just say ‘Shannon, I don’t know what to do next,’ and she’d explain everything. One concept after another. Perfect. Fantastic.”

    Mohammad Khalaghe

    Dough & Desserts

    "We got everything done and dusted within 11 days, which is crazy. [Our Loan Manager] was very accessible, on the phone whenever we needed him. Honestly, if we could go back two years and start everything again, we’d come to him and BEF right away the first time we needed funding.”

    You're in good company

    A strong network of trusted partners lets us put even more funding power in your corner.

    Contact us