After the significant events both in the UK and globally in 2016 (EU referendum, Donald Trump etc), the first half of 2017 included a snap general election and the start of the Brexit negotiations. This report provides an overview of how SMEs have reacted to these events over time.
The SME Finance Monitor surveys 4,500 businesses every quarter about past borrowing events and future borrowing intentions. The data provides both a clear view of how SMEs are feeling now, and, increasingly, how this has changed over time. It also provides analysis by size of SME and sector, as SMEs should not be seen as one homogenous group: in particular, the smallest SMEs with no employees can often report different views and experiences to their larger peers.