Business finance figures for the East of England, from the British Business Bank.
44%
Businesses using external finance
44% of smaller businesses in the East of England were using external finance in 2024.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2025, British Business Bank, 2024
Smaller businesses (0-249 employees). UK Finance/BVA BDRC SME Finance Monitor, unweighted n=17,011 for 2024. Annual share of businesses using external finance.
3pp
Change in external finance use
The share of smaller businesses using external finance in the East of England rose by 3 percentage points between 2023 and 2024.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2025, British Business Bank, 2024
Change on 2023 in percentage points as printed in the source table. The source table shows '-' for London, which is not recorded.
27%
Willing to use finance
27% of smaller businesses in the East of England were willing to use external finance to grow in 2022.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2023: English regions factsheets (data annex), British Business Bank, 2022
Factsheet table, period printed as '2022'.
542,220
Smaller businesses counted
542,220 smaller businesses with 0 to 249 employees were counted in the East of England at the start of 2022.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2023: English regions factsheets (data annex), British Business Bank, 2022
Factsheet table, period printed as 'Start 2022'.
129
Announced equity deals
129 announced equity deals were recorded for smaller businesses based in the East of England in 2024.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2025, British Business Bank, 2024
Beauhurst data, based on the head office of the recipient business.
£980m
Announced equity deal value
Announced equity deals for smaller businesses based in the East of England were worth £980m in 2024.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2025, British Business Bank, 2024
Beauhurst data.
3,568
Facilities approved to Q2 2023
Major banks approved or increased 3,568 loans and overdrafts for smaller businesses in the East of England in the four quarters from Q3 2022 to Q2 2023.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2023: English regions factsheets (data annex), British Business Bank, 12 months to Q2 2023
Factsheet table, period printed as 'Q3 2022-Q2 2023'. UK Finance data on the largest SME lenders; the 2023 annex marks figures as Great Britain only for the share column.
10,418
Facilities approved 2021/22
Major banks approved or increased 10,418 loans and overdrafts for smaller businesses in the East of England in the 2021/22 financial year.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2022, British Business Bank, 2021/22
Annex table, period printed as '2021-22 FY'. UK Finance data on the largest SME lenders.
£708m
Value approved to Q2 2023
Major banks approved or increased loans and overdrafts worth £708m for smaller businesses in the East of England in the four quarters from Q3 2022 to Q2 2023.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2023: English regions factsheets (data annex), British Business Bank, 12 months to Q2 2023
Factsheet table, period printed as 'Q3 2022-Q2 2023'. UK Finance data on the largest SME lenders; the 2023 annex marks figures as Great Britain only for the share column.
£1,442m
Value approved 2021/22
Major banks approved or increased loans and overdrafts worth £1,442m for smaller businesses in the East of England in the 2021/22 financial year.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2022, British Business Bank, 2021/22
Annex table, period printed as '2021-22 FY'. UK Finance data on the largest SME lenders.
2,600
Businesses newly supported
The national development bank newly supported an estimated 2,600 businesses in the East of England in 2025/26.
Source: Impact Report 2026, British Business Bank, 2025/26
British Business Bank estimates, apportioned from UK-wide estimates using programme data on business location; rounded to the nearest hundred. Includes debt, guarantee and equity programmes.
757
New Start Up Loans
757 Start Up Loans were offered to businesses in the East of England in the 2022/23 financial year.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2023: English regions factsheets (data annex), British Business Bank, 2022/23
Factsheet table, period printed as '2022-23 FY'.
£9.4m
Start Up Loans value
Start Up Loans offered to businesses in the East of England were worth £9.4m in the 2022/23 financial year.
Source: Nations and Regions Tracker 2023: English regions factsheets (data annex), British Business Bank, 2022/23
Factsheet table, period printed as '2022-23 FY'.