Business loans Solihull: funds, figures and lenders for Solihull firms
Business loans in Solihull come from the same national lenders as anywhere in England, plus a regional fund and local support that only Solihull firms can use. This page sets out what is specific to Solihull: the local business figures, the public funding open to you and which lenders on our panel cover your postcode.
“An excellent company that provided funding options quickly.”
- Enterprises (ONS 2025)
- 8,270
- Under 10 staff
- 89.3%
- Top sector: administrative and support services
- 20.0% of jobs
- Regional fund (BBB)
- MEIF II
On this page
- Solihull's business base in numbers
- Small business loans in Solihull: what the figures mean
- Unsecured business loans in Solihull
- Government-backed funding for Solihull firms
- Lenders on our panel that cover Solihull
- Free business support in Solihull
- Finance for Solihull's main industries
- Sources
- Common questions
Solihull's business base in numbers
There were 8,270 enterprises registered in Solihull in 2025, on ONS UK Business Counts figures (Nomis labour market profile: Solihull). 7,385 of them (89.3%) employ fewer than ten people, 665 employ 10 to 49, 155 employ 50 to 249 and 60 employ 250 or more. That is 3.8% of the 216,145 enterprises in West Midlands. Counting branches, shops and depots separately, the area has 9,810 local business units.
Measured by employee jobs (2024), the largest parts of the Solihull economy are administrative and support services (20.0%), wholesale, retail and motor trades (11.0%), manufacturing (10.3%) and transport and storage (7.6%). Against Great Britain as a whole, it stands out for real estate (3.4%, 1.8 times the Great Britain share of 1.9%), transport and storage (7.6%, 1.5 times the Great Britain share of 5.0%) and manufacturing (10.3% against 7.3% across Great Britain). In total the area has 145,000 employee jobs and 221,449 residents (2025).
Small business loans in Solihull: what the figures mean
- Because 89.3% of enterprises here are micro businesses, many Solihull applications rest on the directors as much as the company: lenders read the personal credit files and usually ask for a personal guarantee.
- Administrative and support services: 20.0%, 2.3 times the Great Britain share of 8.6%. Support-services and staffing businesses often release cash from invoices rather than borrow; see invoice finance.
- Real estate: 3.4%, 1.8 times the Great Britain share of 1.9%. Real estate businesses make up a larger share than nationally; agencies borrowing against their rent roll are covered in estate agency finance.
For context, Solihull has 8,270 enterprises for 221,449 residents, or 37.3 per 1,000 (our calculation from the ONS figures). Birmingham has 38,605 enterprises, 32.8 per 1,000 residents, with 89.0% employing under ten; Coventry has 10,110 enterprises, 27.7 per 1,000 residents, with 89.1% employing under ten. Professional, support, digital and finance jobs together are 34.8% of the Solihull total, against 27.7% in Birmingham and 20.4% in Coventry.
- DiscussTell us what the funding is for.
- Explore the marketWe search 300+ lenders and compare offers.
- Compare offersWe explain the options clearly.
- Move forwardChoose the right facility for your business.
Unsecured business loans in Solihull
Solihull businesses can choose from 43 unsecured lenders on our panel, out of 45 in all; FW Capital and Finance Yorkshire do not. BCRS Business Loans and Finance for Enterprise are regional lenders whose area includes Solihull. Expect to be asked for a personal guarantee: 125 of the 132 products available at a B postcode require one, according to our panel data.
| Lender | Amounts | Terms | Indicative rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCRS Business Loans (local fund) | £10k to £150k | Up to 5 years | 17.25% a year |
| Finance for Enterprise (local fund) | £25k to £250k | Up to 5 years | 12% to 14.35% a year |
| Nucleus Commercial Finance | £10k to £500k | Up to 5 years | 1.17% to 3.89% a month |
| Business Enterprise Fund | £25k to £250k | Up to 5 years | 17.75% a year |
| MaxCap | £10k to £350k | Up to 1 year | 32% to 41% a year |
| Rivers Leasing | £10k to £50k | Up to 5 years | 21% to 32.5% a year |
Government-backed funding for Solihull firms
For the Midlands, the British Business Bank runs the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, a £400 million fund open to Solihull firms. It offers smaller loans of £25,000 to £100,000, debt finance of £100,000 to £2 million and equity of up to £5 million.
Lenders on our panel that cover Solihull
Some lenders on our panel lend only in certain postcode areas. These ones include Solihull's B postcodes:
- BCRS Business Loans: Loan
- Finance for Enterprise: GGS Loan
No business loan provider in our panel data (70 in all) excludes B postcodes, so a Solihull business is compared against all of them.
Free business support in Solihull
For free advice before you borrow, Business Growth West Midlands is the place to start: free advice for Solihull firms alongside those in Birmingham and the other West Midlands boroughs. It cannot lend to you, but it can point you to grants and local programmes that sit alongside finance.
Finance for Solihull's main industries
The industries that employ the most people in Solihull, and those that are bigger here than nationally, each have a page explaining how lenders assess them: recruitment finance, estate agency finance, transport and logistics finance, manufacturing finance, beauty salon finance and retail business loans.
- 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.
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 Solihull?
Usually, if the business has been trading and can show it can repay: 43 lenders on our panel offer unsecured loans to Solihull businesses, from £10k.
Which sectors are bigger in Solihull than nationally?
Administrative and support services (2.33 times the Great Britain share), Real estate (1.79 times the Great Britain share) and Transport and storage (1.52 times the Great Britain share), on ONS employee jobs for Solihull.
Do you have an office in Solihull?
No. Smart Funding Solutions is based in Chester and works with Solihull 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.”
whole of market
Ready to talk it through?
Speak to a broker or get instant quotes today.