The British Business Bank commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct research with SME Intermediaries on Access to Finance in their area.
Key findings for the East and South-East Midlands include the following:
- Demand for finance was perceived to be generally strong in the East and South-East Midlands, but compared to the UK overall, respondents thought demand for finance among scale-ups and SMEs surviving in the East and South-East Midlands was weaker.
- Respondents in the East and South-East Midlands were less likely to expect the supply of early-stage equity finance to increase over the next 12-18 months, compared to the UK average.
- Lack of knowledge about finance was a concern, and respondents in the East and South-East Midlands were split on the adequacy of the financial ecosystem to support start-ups and SMEs surviving.
