As we approach 2026, many businesses that accessed support through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) will soon reach the end of their loan term.
Since CBILS loans were typically offered with repayment periods of up to six years, businesses that drew down their facilities in 2020 could see their final repayments due in 2026.
If this applies to you, now is the perfect time to start planning your next move, not just to manage repayments, but to position your business for the next phase of growth.
Here is your 4-step guide:
- Review Your Current Financial Position
Before your CBILS agreement ends, it’s worth taking a step back to assess your financial position. Consider:
- Are your current facilities still the best fit for your business needs?
- How will the end of CBILS repayments affect your cash flow?
- Are there new opportunities or challenges that require funding?
Understanding where your business stands will help you make informed decisions and avoid any funding gaps.
- Plan for the Future
As one chapter closes, another opens. Many businesses are now looking beyond recovery and toward investment, innovation, and growth.
This could mean:
- Expanding into new markets
- Investing in new equipment or technology
- Strengthening working capital
- Refinancing existing debt on more flexible terms
If your CBILS facility helped stabilise your business during uncertain times, the next logical step might be to use new funding to accelerate your future plans.
- Consider the Growth Guarantee Scheme
The government’s Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) — launched in 2024 as a successor to previous COVID-19 support programmes offers continued access to finance for SMEs looking to invest and expand.
Like CBILS, the scheme is delivered through accredited lenders and is designed to help viable UK businesses secure the funding they need, with government backing providing additional confidence to lenders.
It can support a range of finance options including term loans, asset finance, and invoice finance, making it a flexible solution for growth-oriented businesses.
- How a Finance Broker Can Help
Navigating the end of a CBILS loan and exploring what comes next can be complex. That’s where we come in.
As experienced business finance brokers, we can help you:
- Review your existing finance arrangements
- Identify suitable funding options (including the Growth Guarantee Scheme)
- Secure competitive terms tailored to your business goals
Whether you’re planning your next project, reinvesting in operations, or ensuring your business has the right financial foundations for the future, now could be the time to start the conversation.
Talk to Us
If your CBILS loan is due to end in 2026, don’t wait until the final repayment date to explore your options.
Contact us today to discuss how we can help you plan ahead and secure the right funding for your business’s next stage of growth.
Together, we’re doing more for business
some related posts
Gen Z entrepreneurs are rewriting the rules of business finance, choosing fast, flexible, and purpose-driven funding over traditional loans as the UK start-up scene booms.
With big digital shifts on the horizon, from Windows 10 support ending to the move to VoIP, businesses are investing in technology to stay ahead, while also managing the financial realities of rapid change.
