Data Sources:
- British Business Bank via Freedom of Information request (FOI 25-002) – download the response (PDF). All loan figures on this page come from this response.
- Programme descriptions for non-loan support (furlough, business rates relief, grants, VAT deferral) are drawn from HM Treasury and HMRC published information; no sector-specific figures for these were published
- Sector Classification: SIC 96020 (Hairdressing and other beauty treatment)
Data as at: 31 March 2025
Last Updated: 16 October 2026
Revision notice, 15 and 16 October 2026: the outstanding-balance totals were corrected so that they equal the sum of the rows in the tables below, and the figures that depend on them were updated. Totals lent and repaid are now rounded from the exact FOI figures. The previous values are recorded in the Corrections Log.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Total Loans Advanced
£1.04bn
BBLS: £989.4m
CBILS: £46.3m
Outstanding Balance
£244.7m
76% resolved
As at 31 March 2025
Claims Settled
£266.6m
25.7% of total lending
Guarantee claims paid by government
In Arrears
£27.3m
2.6% of original lending
As at 31 March 2025
Key Data Points
Loan Support Received:
- Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS): £989.4 million
- Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): £46.3 million
- Combined total: £1.036 billion
- Data source: British Business Bank FOI 25-002 (31 March 2025)
Repayment Status (March 2025):
- Outstanding balance: £244.7 million (23.6% of original lending)
- Repaid or settled: 76.4% of loans
- Claims settled: £266.6 million (guarantee claims paid by government)
- In arrears: £27.3 million (2.6% of original lending)
Additional Support Programs:
- Furlough scheme (CJRS): Wage support during closures
- Business rates relief: 100% relief April 2020 - June 2021
- Grants: Multiple grant programs for closed businesses
- VAT deferrals: Temporary cash flow relief
1. BOUNCE BACK LOAN SCHEME (BBLS)
Program Overview
Launch: May 2020
Close: March 2021
Purpose: Emergency working capital during COVID-19
Key Features:
- Loans of £2,000 to £50,000 (up to 25% of turnover)
- 100% government guarantee
- No repayments for first 12 months
- 2.5% annual interest rate
- 6-year repayment term (extendable to 10 years)
- No personal guarantees for loans under £50,000
Sector BBLS Data (SIC 96020)
Source: British Business Bank FOI 25-002, Table 1 (as at 31 March 2025)
| Turnover Band | Loan Amount (£) | Outstanding Balance (£) | Amount in Arrears (£) | Claims Settled (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than £50k | 128,920,604 | 30,672,784 | 3,877,326 | 23,336,359 |
| £50,001 to £100k | 268,428,959 | 67,813,448 | 7,661,866 | 49,234,342 |
| £100,001 to £250k | 454,492,961 | 105,332,978 | 13,304,798 | 159,421,322 |
| £250,001 to £500k | 99,918,923 | 23,884,862 | 1,701,980 | 25,324,561 |
| £500,001 to £1m | 24,003,566 | 5,895,452 | 208,906 | 3,820,987 |
| £1m to £5m | 9,017,060 | 1,954,297 | 103,468 | 1,683,034 |
| £5m to £25m | 2,694,653 | 742,785 | 67,325 | 436,109 |
| £25m to £50m | 1,470,350 | 367,103 | 2,999 | 192,529 |
| £50m to £200m | 399,800 | 78,384 | 0 | 69,802 |
| >£200m | 85,000 | 33,002 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL BBLS | 989,431,876 | 236,775,095 | 26,928,668 | 263,519,044 |
Loan Distribution
- Highest borrowing band: £100k-£250k turnover (£454.5m, 46% of total)
- Micro businesses (<£50k turnover): £128.9m (13% of total)
- Businesses £500k+ turnover: £37.7m (4% of total)
Repayment Status
- Outstanding: £236.8m (23.9% of original)
- In arrears: £26.9m (2.7% of original lending)
- Claims settled: £263.5m (26.6%)
Repayment Timeline
Standard Schedule (6-Year Term):
- 12-month payment holiday from drawdown (loans were drawn May 2020 to March 2021)
- Repayments began 12 months after drawdown (from mid-2021 to spring 2022, depending on drawdown date)
- Monthly payments over the remaining 60 months of the 6-year term
- Final payments due 6 years after drawdown: May 2026 to March 2027
Pay As You Grow Flexibility (Introduced September 2021):
- 10-year extension option available
- Up to 6 months additional payment holidays available
- Up to 6 months interest-only payments option
Current Position (March 2025):
- 4 to 5 years into the standard 6-year term
- About 24% of original BBLS balance remaining
- About 14 to 24 months remaining for standard 6-year loans
- About 62 to 72 months remaining for 10-year extended loans
⚠️ Data Limitation
The British Business Bank FOI response does not provide:
- Number of businesses that extended to 10-year terms
- Number of businesses that used payment holidays
- Number of businesses that used interest-only periods
- Breakdown of outstanding balance by repayment term length
Impact: Final repayment dates range from May 2026 (6-year) to March 2031 (10-year), later still for borrowers who used payment holidays. Most standard-term loans have now reached their scheduled end date, which this March 2025 snapshot does not show.
Claims Settled
Definition:
When a business with a BBLS loan fails (enters insolvency), the lender claims the outstanding balance from the government guarantee. "Claims settled" represents loans where:
- The business has closed/entered insolvency
- The lender has claimed the outstanding balance from government
- The government has paid the claim (100% guarantee)
Claims by Turnover Band:
- £100k-£250k band: £159.4m (60% of total claims)
- £50k-£100k band: £49.2m (19% of total claims)
- Overall claims rate: 26.6% of total BBLS lending
2. CORONAVIRUS BUSINESS INTERRUPTION LOAN SCHEME (CBILS)
Program Overview
Launch: March 2020
Close: March 2021
Purpose: Larger loans for established businesses
Key Features:
- Loans from £50,001 to £5 million
- 80% government guarantee
- Interest-free for first 12 months
- Terms up to 6 years
- Required business viability assessment
Sector CBILS Data (SIC 96020)
Source: British Business Bank FOI 25-002, Table 2 (as at 31 March 2025)
| Turnover Band | Loan Amount (£) | Outstanding Balance (£) | Amount in Arrears (£) | Claims Settled (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than £50k | 267,401 | 20,664 | 16,983 | 7,707 |
| £50,001 to £100k | 2,021,604 | 419,441 | 1,250 | 177,583 |
| £100,001 to £250k | 3,332,563 | 139,434 | 41,950 | 289,112 |
| £250,001 to £500k | 7,066,142 | 1,255,868 | 0 | 514,185 |
| £500,001 to £1m | 10,396,307 | 1,669,740 | 237,528 | 786,457 |
| £1m to £5m | 18,807,146 | 3,214,125 | 92,222 | 1,287,094 |
| £5m to £25m | 4,458,024 | 1,172,246 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL CBILS | 46,349,187 | 7,891,518 | 389,933 | 3,062,138 |
Loan Distribution
- Highest borrowing band: £1m-£5m turnover (£18.8m, 41% of total)
- Businesses with £500k+ turnover: 73% of total CBILS lending
- Lower uptake than BBLS: £46.3m vs £989.4m (21:1 ratio)
Repayment Status
- Outstanding: £7.9m (17.0% of original)
- In arrears: £0.4m (0.8% of original lending)
- Claims settled: £3.1m (6.6%)
3. ADDITIONAL COVID SUPPORT
Furlough Scheme (CJRS)
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Program Details:
- Covered 80% of wages (up to £2,500/month per employee)
- Period: March 2020 - September 2021
- Available to all employers
Note: Sector-specific furlough figures were not published by HMRC. Scheme was available to all businesses during lockdown periods.
Business Rates Relief
100% Business Rates Holiday:
- Period: April 2020 - June 2021 (15 months)
- Coverage: Retail, hospitality, and leisure properties
- Eligible businesses: Salon premises with rateable value
66% Discount:
- Period: July 2021 - March 2022 (9 months)
- Coverage: Same sectors as above
VAT Deferral
VAT Payment Deferral:
- March-June 2020 VAT payments deferred
- Could be repaid over 11 installments (interest-free)
- Temporary cash flow relief
Note: Hair & beauty sector continued to pay standard 20% VAT rate throughout COVID (no temporary rate reduction).
Grants
Grant Programs Available:
- Small Business Grant Fund: £10,000 for businesses with small business rates relief
- Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant: Up to £25,000 based on rateable value
- Restart Grants: Up to £18,000 when reopening (April 2021)
- Local Authority Discretionary Grants: Various amounts
Note: Grant amounts varied by local authority. Sector-specific totals were not published centrally.
4. TOTAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Verified Loan Data
| Support Type | Amount (£m) | Repayable? | Data Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bounce Back Loans (BBLS) | 989.4 | Yes | ✓ Verified (FOI) |
| CBILS | 46.3 | Yes | ✓ Verified (FOI) |
| TOTAL LOANS | 1,035.8 | To be repaid | ✓ Verified |
Additional support programs: Furlough scheme (CJRS), business rates relief, grants, and VAT deferrals were also available. Sector-specific totals for these programs were not published by government.
5. CURRENT REPAYMENT STATUS (MARCH 2025)
Outstanding Balances
| Scheme | Original Lending (£m) | Outstanding (£m) | % Remaining | Claims Settled (£m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBLS | 989.4 | 236.8 | 23.9% | 263.5 |
| CBILS | 46.3 | 7.9 | 17.0% | 3.1 |
| TOTAL | 1,035.8 | 244.7 | 23.6% | 266.6 |
Repayment Progress Summary
- Total borrowed: £1,035.8 million
- Currently outstanding: £244.7 million (an estimate; the British Business Bank holds no write-off data)
- Claims settled: £266.6 million (guarantee claims paid by government)
- Repaid to date (derived as a residual): £524.5 million (50.6% of original lending)
- Overall resolution: 76.4% (repaid or settled)
Repayment Timeline
- BBLS standard term: Final payments due May 2026 to March 2027 (6 years from drawdown)
- BBLS extended term: Final payments due May 2030 to March 2031 (10 years from drawdown)
- CBILS: end dates are not given in the FOI response (terms of up to 6 years)
- Position at March 2025: 4 to 5 years into the standard 6-year BBLS term
Arrears Status
| Scheme | In Arrears (£m) | % of Original | % of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBLS | 26.9 | 2.7% | 11.4% |
| CBILS | 0.4 | 0.8% | 4.9% |
| TOTAL | 27.3 | 2.6% | 11.2% |
6. INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON
COVID Business Support - UK vs Europe
| Country | Loan Programs | Grants | Furlough Coverage | Business Rates/Tax Relief |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | BBLS, CBILS, RLS | Yes | 80% wages | 100% relief (15 months) |
| Germany | KfW loans | Yes | 60-87% wages | Variable relief |
| France | PGE loans | Yes | 84-100% wages | Exemptions available |
| Italy | Guarantee Fund | Yes | CIGS scheme | Reductions |
| Spain | ICO credit lines | Yes | ERTE scheme | Moratorium |
Program Features
UK Programs:
- BBLS: 100% government guarantee, no personal guarantees
- Furlough: 80% wage coverage, 18-month duration
- Business rates: 100% relief for 15 months
- Multiple grant programs available
European Equivalents:
- Germany: KfW loans with 80-90% guarantee
- France: PGE loans with 70-90% guarantee
- All major economies provided furlough/wage support
- Various grant and tax relief programs
7. METHODOLOGY & DATA QUALITY
Data Sources
Verified Data (High Confidence):
- BBLS & CBILS figures: British Business Bank FOI 25-002
- FOI date: 23 May 2025
- Data as at: 31 March 2025
- All loan amounts, outstanding balances, arrears, and claims settled: Official government data
- Verification: FOI response publicly available
Additional Support Programs:
- Furlough scheme: Program details from HMRC, sector-specific totals not published
- Business rates relief: Program details from government, sector totals not published
- Grants: Program details from government, sector totals not published centrally
Calculation Methods
Repayment Progress:
Formula: (Original lending - Outstanding - Claims settled) = Amount repaid
£1,035.8m - £244.7m - £266.6m = £524.5m repaid (50.6%)
Resolution Rate:
Formula: (Repaid + Claims settled) ÷ Original lending
(£524.5m + £266.6m) ÷ £1,035.8m = 76.4% resolved
Totals are calculated from the exact FOI figures and then rounded, so they can differ by £0.1m from the sum of the rounded figures shown. "Amount repaid" is a residual: it is what is left after outstanding balances and claims settled are deducted from lending. It is not a figure reported by the Bank.
Data Limitations
What We Know with Certainty:
- Total BBLS lending to sector: £989.4m
- Total CBILS lending to sector: £46.3m
- Outstanding balances as reported in the FOI response as at 31 March 2025 (an estimate; the British Business Bank holds no write-off data)
- Claims settled by government
- Arrears status
What Remains Uncertain:
- Number of businesses that borrowed
- Distribution of loans among businesses
- Proportion of BBLS borrowers who extended to 10-year terms
- Uptake of Pay As You Grow flexibility options
- Precise furlough scheme sector allocation
- Precise grant scheme sector allocation
- Business rates relief by individual business
Data Quality Ratings:
| Metric | Source | Confidence Level |
|---|---|---|
| BBLS/CBILS amounts | British Business Bank FOI | Very High ✓✓✓ |
| Outstanding balances | British Business Bank FOI | High ✓✓ (reported figure; an estimate) |
| Claims settled | British Business Bank FOI | Very High ✓✓✓ |
| Arrears status | British Business Bank FOI | Very High ✓✓✓ |
Document Updates
This document will be updated when:
- British Business Bank publishes updated figures (typically quarterly)
- Final loan repayment data becomes available (post-2027/2031)
- Additional FOI responses received
8. DATA SUMMARY
COVID Loan Support (Verified)
Total Advanced:
- BBLS: £989.4 million
- CBILS: £46.3 million
- Combined: £1,035.8 million
Current Status (31 March 2025):
- Outstanding: £244.7 million (23.6%)
- Claims settled: £266.6 million (25.7%)
- Repaid: £524.5 million (50.6%)
- In arrears: £27.3 million (2.6%)
By Scheme:
- BBLS: £989.4m advanced, £236.8m outstanding, £263.5m claims settled
- CBILS: £46.3m advanced, £7.9m outstanding, £3.1m claims settled
Repayment Timeline:
- BBLS (6-year): Final payments May 2026 to March 2027
- BBLS (10-year): Final payments May 2030 to March 2031
- CBILS: end dates not given in the FOI response (terms of up to 6 years)
Additional Support Available
- Furlough scheme (CJRS): March 2020 - September 2021
- Business rates relief: April 2020 - March 2022
- Multiple grant programs: 2020-2021
- VAT deferrals: March-June 2020
Note: Sector-specific totals for non-loan support were not published by government.