Access to finance by ethnic minority businesses in the UK

This article presents findings from a large-scale study of access to finance and business support by ethnic minority businesses (EMBs) in the UK. The results show more variation between ethnic minority groups than between EMBs (as a group) and white-owned firms; with African/Caribbean owned businesses (ACBs) appearing the most disadvantaged. Analysis shows them to have been less successful in accessing bank loans than either white or other ethnic minority groups and to have a higher propensity to turn to non-bank formal sources of start-up finance (including various sources of 'last resort' lending). Although some of these difficulties are associated with certain types of business activity in which ACBs are concentrated, sector is not a determining influence. The results suggest that ACBs, and/or sectors in which ACBs are concentrated, would appear to justify a targeting priority in any new finance initiatives that are taken.