Recommendation 34

We recommend HM Treasury conclude its consultation on the Bank Referral Scheme forthwith and that significant improvements are made to it by the time of the next Budget. The Scheme should be fully integrated with other business finance support schemes, to ensure that businesses are supported right from the start of their growth journey and not only after they have had their first application for finance rejected. We also recommend that HM Treasury collect and publish updated data so that progress on improving the Bank Referral Scheme can be checked. (Recommendation, Paragraph 126)