A positive start to this week’s Business Finance Bulletin podcast with news from Lloyds Bank in their monthly Business Barometer survey that business confidence is on the rise. What are business owner’s view on the impact of Brexit though?

We look at the announcement from Barclays of the launch of a loan cashback scheme with support from the British Business Bank. The cashback is a nice bonus for businesses looking to expand via funding.

To close, less positive news with a look at how many businesses entered some form of insolvency in 2019. The figures from the Insolvency Service do feature a glimmer of hope for 2020.

Insuring the whole of your debtor portfolio against non-payment can be expensive. Opening our latest podcast, we look at the announcement of a partnership between Barclays and single invoice insurer, Nimbla. Rolling out on a trial basis in selected regions, Barclays customers will benefit from cost-effective credit insurance.

When reviewing finance requests from larger SMEs, banks will consider the risk and impact of supply chain failure. A survey from Aldermore reveals that many businesses have not reviewed the likelihood or consequences of supply chain failure.

To close, proposals have been set out in the form of a draft Bill to the House of Lords to tackle late payment. What actions are being proposed? To back-up the need for action, a survey from Pay UK uncovers the impact late payment has on business owner’s mental health.

To start our latest podcast, an announcement from mobile-only bank Starling that it’s to start offering business loans to Limited Companies. Starling’s 100,000 business customers will also, for a monthly fee, be able to access its Business Toolkit service.

It’s now two years since Open Banking was launched. We look at a survey from the FSB which reveals that only a small number of businesses are taking advantage of the benefits Open Banking can bring.

Closing this week’s Bulletin, news from Nat West that it’s to link up with pre-paid MasterCard provider Soldo allowing their customers to directly access two of the bank’s key products. This is another example of the old guard joining forces with the newcomers.

Opening our first podcast Bulletin of 2020, we kick off with a look at how much time small business owners spend on finance-related administration tasks. A survey from Starling Bank reveals that too much time is devoted to non-income generating duties.

How did small businesses performance in 2019 and what are their priorities for 2020? That’s a question posed by Nucleus Commercial Finance and the feedback on how small businesses saw last year’s performance is surprising.

To close, Santander has announced the launch of its 2020 Women Business Leader programme. They are looking for growth-focused female entrepreneurs to link up with seasoned business mentors. Could that be you?

To open our final podcast of 2019, a fitting close to this season with a look at the possible return of certainly following the Election result. Will the parliamentary majority be enough to overturn the feeling of uncertainty which has dominated the last 12 months?

Challenger banks are often at the leading edge when it comes to innovation and in terms of linking up with 3rd small business service providers that’s no exception. We look at announcements from Metro Bank and Starling Bank of partnerships available to their SME customers designed to improve efficiencies and access specialised services.

To wrap up our last episode for 2019, some good news on late payment. We review a new survey from MarketFinance which reveals that 2019 saw an improvement in late payment practices, lessening the cashflow strain for many small businesses.

Kicking off our latest podcast we review a survey from Xero, the online accounting software provider, which reports that despite many small business owners feeling despondent about their circumstances, the 20 years will see a significant, positive change.

With the High Street banks not known for delivering competitive foreign exchange services, we look at the announcement from cashflow finance provider Just Cashflow of the launch of its own foreign exchange offering.

To close, news from Pay UK that one day in the first week of December saw them handle the highest daily volume of automated payments. Are we finally seeing the demise of the cheque?

Opening this week’s Bulletin, a surprising continuation in the rise in business confidence despite the looming general election and Brexit limbo. However, another survey reveals that the feeling of uncertainty still prevails, especially among younger businesses.

With approximately £382b held on current accounts and low interest deposit accounts, findings from Aldermore Bank exposes how much businesses are losing out by not maximising deposit account returns.

To wrap up this episode, a look at how small businesses are still limiting their borrowing appetite as revealed in the latest Bank of England bank lending figures.

The latest SME Confidence Tracker from Bibby Financial Services reveals a continual decline in investment appetite among small businesses. What are the barriers to investment and of those businesses which are investing, what are they planning?

If you’re thinking of purchasing a commercial premises for investment purposes, one often over-looked requirement is the need for a compliant Energy Performance Certificate. We look at why failing to hit a minimum rating can scupper your chances of obtaining finance.

To close this Bulletin, a survey from Pay UK puts a spotlight on the burden and cost to small business owners of the rising late payment problem.

To kick off our latest podcast, we look at a host of enhancements and 3rd party collaborations announced by Xero, the online accounting software provider. The partnerships are aimed at further streamlining the way small businesses manage their finances.

A survey from the Federation of Small Businesses reveals the different experiences sole traders have in borrowing money compared to the wider small business community. Why would lenders treat sole traders differently?

To wrap up this Bulletin, a review of current business confidence levels, which according to a recent survey from Lloyds Bank has bounced back in October. How long will that last?

Rising out of the ashes of the credit crunch the alternative finance providers moved in to fill the gap left by the banks. To open this Bulletin, we look at how the alternative lenders are evolving with Iwoca announcing a milestone in lending and Nucleus Commercial Finance improving its loan repayment term.

Managing late payment can often be a burden for small business owners, which means action taken by the Prompt Payment Code to suspend members not adhering to its rules is good news. Which household names have been asked to leave the organisation?

To wrap up this Bulletin, we look at why you need to be aware whether your industry sector is in or out of favour with your bank before applying for finance.