GEF supports UK exporters but have you heard of it and could you benefit?

A significant number of UK businesses that trade internationally expect to see an increase in their exports over the coming year, according to an Institute of Directors (IoD) survey published earlier this year.

The survey showed that 42% of UK international traders expected export growth over the next 12 months. It also revealed that 47% of businesses are still finding Brexit challenging, and just 33% envisage opportunities materialising as a result of Brexit.

Additionally, 28% of firms reported that supply chain disruption has had a negative impact on their business, and 12% have an exportable product but are not currently exporting.

Bathgate has seen evidence of much of the above and the team has been exploring the best possible solutions to navigate these challenges and maximise opportunities. Once such solution has been the General Export Facility (GEF)

The GEF was launched in December 2020 to help UK exporters by providing a government guarantee to lenders of up to 80% of the credit risk on facilities typically worth up to £25 million, without an export contract.

Ian Adams, BDM at Bathgate, said: “Despite being available for two years now, the GEF is not as widely accessed as you may think and many businesses that we have spoken to were not even aware of the facility.

“We have used it to assist several of our clients who export, arranging finance to the value £1M under the GEF. It’s an ideal product for businesses who have a stock finance need, operate in a seasonal sector, work on large projects or who both import and export.”

To discuss if GEF is right for your business, contact Ian Adams on 0151 625 7323, email proposals@bathgatebf.co.uk or visit bathgatebf.co.uk to find out more.