Business loans Havant: funds, figures and lenders for Havant firms
Business loans in Havant come from the same national lenders as anywhere in England, plus a regional fund and local support that only Havant firms can use. Below are the Havant figures, funds and lender rules that shape a search, each linked to its source.
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- Enterprises (ONS 2026)
- 4,440
- Under 10 staff
- 90.2%
- Top sector: wholesale
- 17.5% of jobs
- Regional fund (BBB)
- SEIF
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Havant's business base in numbers
ONS UK Business Counts put the number of enterprises in Havant at 4,440 in 2026 (Nomis labour market profile: Havant). 4,005 of them (90.2%) employ fewer than ten people, 350 employ 10 to 49, 70 employ 50 to 249 and 15 employ 250 or more. That is 1.1% of the 412,080 enterprises in the South East. Counting branches, shops and depots separately, the area has 5,190 local business units.
Measured by employee jobs (2024), the largest parts of the Havant economy are wholesale, retail and motor trades (17.5%), education (11.2%), health and social care (11.2%) and manufacturing (8.8%). Against Great Britain as a whole, it stands out for construction (8.8%, 1.8 times the Great Britain share of 5.0%) and manufacturing (8.8% against 7.3% across Great Britain). In total the area has 40,000 employee jobs and 127,362 residents (2025).
Small business loans in Havant: what the figures mean
- Micro businesses make up 90.2% of the 4,440 enterprises, so for most Havant owners the deciding factors are recent accounts, six months of bank statements and the directors' credit history.
- Construction: 8.8%, 1.8 times the Great Britain share of 5.0%. Builders need finance for plant and for the wait between valuation and payment; see construction finance.
- Education: 11.2% against 8.6% across Great Britain. Private nurseries and training providers have their own lender criteria; see nursery business finance.
For context, Havant has 4,440 enterprises for 127,362 residents, or 34.9 per 1,000 (our calculation from the ONS figures). Portsmouth has 6,095 enterprises, 28.8 per 1,000 residents, with 87.9% employing under ten; Chichester has 6,870 enterprises, 52.8 per 1,000 residents, with 90.0% employing under ten. Professional, support, digital and finance jobs together are 19.0% of the Havant total, against 19.0% in Portsmouth and 18.8% in Chichester.
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Unsecured business loans in Havant
No security over property is needed for an unsecured loan, which is why most small business loans in Havant take this form. 41 of the 45 unsecured lenders on our panel accept a PO postcode; BCRS Business Loans, FW Capital, Finance Yorkshire and Finance for Enterprise do not. The trade-off is the personal guarantee: our panel data shows one on 123 of the 130 products open here.
| Lender | Amounts | Terms | Indicative rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| NatWest | £25k to £50k | Up to 7 years | 8.2% to 9.5% a year |
| ThinCats | £1m to £20m | Up to 5 years | 7% to 10% a year |
| Kingsley Asset Finance | £10k to £75k | Up to 3 years | 14.78% to 18.95% a year |
| Kingsway Finance | £25k to £250k | Up to 5 years | 14% to 36.5% a year |
| Funding Circle | £10k to £750k | Up to 6 years | 6.9% to 25% a year |
| Little Business Loans | £10k to £20k | Up to 1 year | 30% to 42% a year |
Government-backed funding for Havant firms
For the South East, the British Business Bank has set up the South East Investment Fund, worth £210 million, and Havant 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 Havant
No business loan provider in our panel data (70 in all) excludes PO postcodes, so a Havant business is compared against all of them.
Free business support in Havant
Publicly funded help is available through GOV.UK Business Growth Service, the UK government's service to help businesses start and grow. Grants and advice from there can cut the amount you need to borrow.
Finance for Havant's main industries
The industries that employ the most people in Havant, and those that are bigger here than nationally, each have a page explaining how lenders assess them: construction finance, nursery business finance, retail business loans, manufacturing finance, hospitality business loans and care home finance.
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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
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 Havant?
Usually, if the business has been trading and can show it can repay: 41 lenders on our panel offer unsecured loans to Havant businesses, from £10k.
Which sectors are bigger in Havant than nationally?
Construction (1.76 times the Great Britain share), Education (1.30 times the Great Britain share) and Wholesale, retail and motor trades (1.28 times the Great Britain share), on ONS employee jobs for Havant.
Do you have an office in Havant?
No. Smart Funding Solutions is based in Chester and works with Havant 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.”
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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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