Skipton Business Finance (SBF) has reported another year of strong performance, achieving record profit before tax of £11.6m, up 7.8% on 2024, as demand for flexible working capital solutions reached new highs.

Loans and advances increased 5.5% to £200.6m, the highest in SBF’s history, with client numbers rising to 887. Fee and commission income grew to £16.9m, supported by continued uptake of core business finance products and widespread adoption of Bad Debt Protection.

The year also saw the successful launch of SBF’s new Asset Based Lending (ABL) offering, expanding its support for larger and more complex SME funding needs.

CEO Greg Bell said: “2025 was a challenging year for many SMEs, but our team delivered a standout performance. Record profits and our largest-ever lending book show the vital role we continue to play in helping businesses trade, invest and grow.”

“We strengthened our risk capability, invested in our people and expanded our product suite with the launch of ABL - all of which position us well for continued growth in 2026.”

SBF invested significantly in its credit and risk infrastructure in 2025, including new risk-management software and enhanced restructuring capability. These improvements helped reduce the Company’s loss allowance despite the increase in lending balances.

The business also continued to advance its social and environmental commitments, aligned to Skipton Group’s ambition to reach net zero by 2050 and supported a range of UK charities and community partners.

Backed by the financial strength of Skipton Building Society, SBF enters 2026 with a strong balance sheet, a broader product range and continued demand from SMEs for dependable, flexible business funding.

Share this post

Written by

Gill Laidler
Gill Laidler

Comments