Business loans Brighton: funds, figures and lenders for Brighton firms
Business loans in Brighton come from the same national lenders as anywhere in England, plus a regional fund and local support that only Brighton firms can use. Here is what a Brighton business should know before it applies, with every figure linked to where it comes from.
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- Enterprises (ONS 2026)
- 14,035
- Under 10 staff
- 90.1%
- Top sector: health and social care
- 18.5% of jobs
- Regional fund (BBB)
- SEIF
On this page
- Brighton's business base in numbers
- Small business loans in Brighton: what the figures mean
- Unsecured business loans in Brighton
- Government-backed funding for Brighton firms
- Lenders on our panel that cover Brighton
- Free business support in Brighton
- Finance for Brighton's main industries
- Commercial finance brokers in Brighton
- Sources
- Common questions
Brighton's business base in numbers
ONS UK Business Counts put the number of enterprises in Brighton and Hove at 14,035 in 2026 (Nomis labour market profile: Brighton and Hove). 12,650 of them (90.1%) employ fewer than ten people, 1,155 employ 10 to 49, 195 employ 50 to 249 and 40 employ 250 or more. That is 3.4% of the 412,080 enterprises in the South East. Counting branches, shops and depots separately, the area has 16,150 local business units.
Measured by employee jobs (2024), the largest parts of the Brighton and Hove economy are health and social care (18.5%), education (11.6%), wholesale, retail and motor trades (11.0%) and hotels, restaurants and food service (11.0%). The sectors that are bigger here than nationally are finance and insurance (5.5%, 1.6 times the Great Britain share of 3.4%), hotels, restaurants and food service (11.0% against 7.8% across Great Britain) and information and communication (6.2% against 4.5% across Great Britain). In total the area has 146,000 employee jobs and 284,170 residents (2025).
Small business loans in Brighton: what the figures mean
- Micro businesses make up 90.1% of the 14,035 enterprises, so for most Brighton owners the deciding factors are recent accounts, six months of bank statements and the directors' credit history.
- Finance and insurance: 5.5%, 1.6 times the Great Britain share of 3.4%. Finance and insurance employers are a large share of jobs, which feeds a deep supply chain of advisers, IT and property firms that borrow to grow.
- Hotels, restaurants and food service: 11.0% against 7.8% across Great Britain. Hospitality is busier here than nationally; its seasonal takings suit merchant cash advances or flexible facilities as much as fixed loans.
For context, Brighton and Hove has 14,035 enterprises for 284,170 residents, or 49.4 per 1,000 (our calculation from the ONS figures). Chichester has 6,870 enterprises, 52.8 per 1,000 residents, with 90.0% employing under ten; Guildford has 7,345 enterprises, 48.3 per 1,000 residents, with 89.0% employing under ten. Professional, support, digital and finance jobs together are 26.7% of the Brighton total, against 18.8% in Chichester and 29.8% in Guildford.
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- Compare offersWe explain the options clearly.
- Move forwardChoose the right facility for your business.
Unsecured business loans in Brighton
Start with the postcode. A bn address rules out 4 of the 45 unsecured lenders on our panel, leaving 41. Then the guarantee: 123 of the 130 unsecured products Brighton firms can apply for need one from the directors.
| Lender | Amounts | Terms | Indicative rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sigma Lending | £10k to £100k | Up to 1 year | 33% to 67% a year |
| Nucleus Commercial Finance | £10k to £500k | Up to 5 years | 1.17% to 3.89% a month |
| Playter | £25k to £2m | Up to 5 years | 8.9% to 36% a year |
| County Finance Group | £10k to £150k | Up to 5 years | 16% to 20% a year |
| Funding Circle | £10k to £750k | Up to 6 years | 6.9% to 25% a year |
| Swishfund | £10k to £100k | Up to 17 months | 1.1% to 3% a month |
Government-backed funding for Brighton firms
For the South East, the British Business Bank has set up the South East Investment Fund, worth £210 million, and Brighton firms are eligible. It offers loans of £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments of up to £5 million, delivered through appointed fund managers. The fund's page describes it as open for applications while its summary says it is on course to launch, so check the page for the latest position.
Lenders on our panel that cover Brighton
No business loan provider in our panel data (70 in all) excludes BN postcodes, so a Brighton business is compared against all of them.
Free business support in Brighton
GOV.UK Business Growth Service offers free support to Brighton businesses: the UK government's service to help businesses start and grow. Use it for grants, training and local programmes; use a broker when you need the finance itself.
Finance for Brighton's main industries
The industries that employ the most people in Brighton, and those that are bigger here than nationally, each have a page explaining how lenders assess them: hospitality business loans, IT company finance, nursery business finance, care home finance, beauty salon finance and event business finance.
Commercial finance brokers in Brighton
Smart Funding Solutions is a whole-of-market commercial finance broker: we compare lenders for Brighton firms rather than lending ourselves. The panel is widest for unsecured business loans (130 products open at BN) and narrowest for specialist lines such as trade finance, so part of the work is telling you early which route has real choice.
| Type of finance | Products | Lenders | Amounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsecured business loans | 130 | 41 | £1k to £20m |
| Secured business loans | 57 | 23 | £10k to £10m |
| Revolving credit facilities | 13 | 11 | £2k to £20m |
| Asset finance | 114 | 40 | £1k to £20m |
| Invoice finance | 49 | 26 | £1k to £20m |
Each figure counts products, not lenders, because many lenders offer more than one.
- Access to 300+ lendersWhole-of-market search across our lender panel.
- Independent brokerSmart Funding Solutions is an independent broker, not a lender.
- Tailored to your caseYour case presented to lenders suited to it.
- Support from start to finishOur experts handle the process from start to finish.
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these, checked on 18 October 2026. Lender coverage is from the criteria held for each lender on our panel.
Where to go next
- Business loans: how it works
- Business loan calculator
- Invoice finance Brighton
- Commercial mortgages Brighton
- Asset finance Brighton
- Business loans Chichester
- Business loans Guildford
- Business loans Havant
- Business loans Petersfield
- Business loans Portsmouth
- Business loans London
- Regional business loans UK
- Instant Quotes: see which lenders fit your business
We are a credit broker, not a lender. Fees depend on the lender, and there is nothing to pay upfront. This page is general information, not financial advice. Lenders set their own criteria, rates and terms, and all finance is subject to status.
Common questions
Can I get an unsecured business loan in Brighton?
Usually, if the business has been trading and can show it can repay: 41 lenders on our panel offer unsecured loans to Brighton businesses, from £10k.
Which sectors are bigger in Brighton than nationally?
Finance and insurance (1.62 times the Great Britain share), Hotels, restaurants and food service (1.41 times the Great Britain share) and Information and communication (1.38 times the Great Britain share), on ONS employee jobs for Brighton and Hove.
Do you have an office in Brighton?
No. Smart Funding Solutions is based in Chester and works with Brighton businesses by phone, video and email; lenders do not need you to be local to us.
What our clients say
“Simon was fast, kept us updated at all stages and was a real pleasure to work with on our asset finance. I highly recommend this company: excellent service all round.”
“Spoke with Simon, who managed to get me the loan I needed promptly. The whole process was very smooth and was completed within a few days.”
“Getting a business loan can feel like a bit of a minefield, but everything was broken down for me in great detail. Will use again in the future!”
“Simon was a pleasure to deal with and helped us find a business loan that matched our growth goals and future expansion plans.”
“I couldn’t source funding for my business, but the team got in touch within an hour and had it sorted within 24 hours. Fantastic service, and I would definitely use them again.”
Why businesses choose Smart Funding Solutions
- Access to 300+ lenders
- Personal broker support
- No obligation discussion
- Free to enquire
Our clients say
Trusted by UK businesses across every sector.
“Simon was fast, kept us updated at all stages and was a real pleasure to work with on our asset finance. I highly recommend this company: excellent service all round.”
“Spoke with Simon, who managed to get me the loan I needed promptly. The whole process was very smooth and was completed within a few days.”
“Getting a business loan can feel like a bit of a minefield, but everything was broken down for me in great detail. Will use again in the future!”
“Simon was a pleasure to deal with and helped us find a business loan that matched our growth goals and future expansion plans.”
“I couldn’t source funding for my business, but the team got in touch within an hour and had it sorted within 24 hours. Fantastic service, and I would definitely use them again.”
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