The British Business Bank has distributed a note indicating that from today, participating lenders in the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) are able to offer smaller businesses across the UK a ‘top-up’ to their existing loan if they originally borrowed less than the maximum amount available to them. A borrowing business can apply for a top-up that is for the lesser of £50k or 25% of the annual turnover the borrower certified in their original successful BBLS application form, minus the value of their original loan.
The Bank says that several big lenders are open for top-ups today with other lenders to be available soon. Several Fintech lenders are providing BBLS lending.
The Bank provided the following example scenarios for borrowers:
| Certified Annual Turnover for original loan | Total amount available under BBLS (25% of turnover) | Original Bounce Back Loan amount | Maximum Bounce Back Loan Top-up:
(total eligible amount minus original loan amount) |
|
| Example 1 | £200,000 | £50,000 | £50,000 | £0 |
| Example 2 | £200,000 | £50,000 | £10,000 | £40,000 |
| Example 3 | £150,000 | £37,500 | £30,000 | £7,500 |
| Example 4 | £100,000 | £25,000 | £20,000 | £5,000 |
| Example 5 | £50,000 | £12,500 | £10,000 | £2,500 |
| Example 6 | £20,000 | £5,000 | £4,000 | £1,000 |
Bounce Back Loan Scheme top-up features
- One top-up per borrower from their existing lender
- Minimum top-up amount – £1,000
- The capital repayment holiday runs for 12 months from the initial drawdown date on the original Bounce Back Loan. For example, if the initial drawdown date of the original Bounce Back Loan was on 1 June 2020, and the drawdown date of the top-up was on 1 November 2020, the capital repayment holiday period will run to 31 May 2021
How to apply
A short form template application form will be available from the Bounce Back Loan Scheme accredited lenders. Borrowers must complete this application form to be eligible for a top-up. The top-up application form will require borrowers to indicate the amount of the top-up requested and re-provide certain declarations set out in the original loan application form.
