Why our business lending works differently
Most business lending in the UK falls into two camps: high-volume, formula-driven SME lending where you become a row in a spreadsheet, or high-touch private banking where you need a £50M turnover before anyone returns your call.
We sit deliberately in between. Whether you are a £500k-turnover scale-up or a £50M established mid-market business, you receive a dedicated relationship manager, a transparent flat 1.5% APR rate, and a structured deal designed around your capital plan — not slotted into an off-the-shelf product.
The relationship manager
Every business loan is handled by a named relationship manager from initial enquiry through to drawdown and ongoing servicing. They become your single point of contact, your advocate within our credit committee, and the person who knows your business well enough to anticipate your future needs.
The structured deal
A working capital facility looks different from an acquisition loan, which looks different from a green retrofit project. Our products are starting points; the actual deal is structured around your specific moment. Flexible drawdown, staged tranches, interest-only periods, balloon repayments, currency selection — all available where they make sense.
The 28-country reach
For UK businesses with international operations, or for international businesses with UK ambitions, we lend across all of our 28 supported jurisdictions. Cross-border deals — acquisitions, property, capital deployment — are a particular specialism.
Our acquisition was complex and cross-border. ASAF structured an £8.2M facility that traditional banks said was impossible. Genuinely a finance partner, not just a lender.
The sustainability commitment
Sustainability-led business loans — renewable energy, retrofits, sustainable agriculture, clean transport, ESG-aligned expansion — receive priority review and a 48-hour decision turnaround. The standard of underwriting is the same; only the speed differs.