High street banks have tabled an SME lending comeback.

High street banks’ return to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) inched onwards in the second quarter.

The big banks have turned back to the area as the government clamps down on smaller firms’ difficulty accessing finance.

Top bosses were summoned earlier this year for talks with ministers covering how to improve lending to SMEs.

In the second quarter of 2025, gross lending to SMEs lending growth slashed nearly in half to eight per cent from 14 per cent in the previous quarter.

Whilst it marked the sixth consecutive quarter of loan growth, the pace took a hit, fresh data from banking industry body UK Finance has revealed.

It follows a report from the Department of Business and Trade in March revealing overall loan su

See Full Page