Earlier this year, I had the privilege of being in the room with business and trade secretary Peter Kyle as UK banks committed £11bn to support small businesses to export and grow. It was one of those moments when ambition met delivery, and for those of us who care deeply about the UK’s trading future, it felt significant.
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade members don’t need convincing that SMEs are the backbone of the UK economy, or that exporting is one of the most powerful drivers of growth.
What we hear time and again, however, is that access to finance remains one of the biggest practical barriers holding otherwise capable firms back. This new lending package is designed to tackle exactly that.
The 'means, motive and opportunity' to go global
The offer is simple. The £11bn of lending will be drawn entirely from the banks’ own balance sheets, with UK Export Finance guaranteeing up to 80% of eligible loans. For loans up to £10m, guarantees can be automatic – removing friction at the point where momentum matters most. That means small and mid-sized enterprises have a powerful route to access finance – with fewer delays, more certainty and faster decisions for businesses ready to take on international markets.
What makes this particularly encouraging is the collaboration behind it. UKEF and five of the UK’s largest banks have come together in one of the most significant joint efforts we’ve seen in over a decade. As Peter Kyle described it, the package gives firms the “means, motive and opportunity” to go global.
That phrase resonated again the following week when we brought together trade and business leaders, including the Chartered Institute’s director general Marco Forgione, to focus on the real test – how we jointly ensure this financial commitment translates into tangible results for exporters on the ground. Because unlocking finance is only part of the story.
Chartered Institute members know better than anyone that exporting success depends on capability as much as capital. That is why the advisory offer sitting alongside this finance is just as important.
Relationship managers within the banks, working with UKEF’s regional export finance managers, can support businesses with the realities of international trade – from structuring payments and mitigating currency risk to meeting buyer expectations and navigating documentation. This is where professional expertise turns opportunity into execution.
Normalise exporting for SMEs
None of this is happening in a vacuum. Global trading conditions remain complex, and trade finance alone won’t remove every headwind exporters face. But it can remove one of the most persistent, and solvable, constraints – access to timely, affordable working capital. Just as importantly, this package helps normalise exporting as a viable next step for many more businesses, not just the experienced few.
I’m also delighted to share UKEF recently received Royal Assent to double our guarantee limit to £160bn. Taken together, these commitments demonstrate that the government recognises exporting, and the role of export finance, as central, not incidental, to long term growth.
Britain 'open for business'
The potential impact of getting this right is significant. More UK firms entering and expanding in global markets means better-quality jobs, stronger supply chains and a more resilient economy. It also reinforces the central truth Chartered Institute members live every day – export-led growth doesn’t happen by accident, instead it is built through skills, confidence and the right support at the right time.
If you are exporting or thinking of exporting, or you advise exporters or help businesses prepare for that first overseas contract, the message is clear. Britain is open for global business and UKEF is backing that ambition with real financial muscle.
To find out more about how UK Export Finance can support exporting businesses, visit
https://www.ukexportfinance.gov.uk/
