11:46 am, August 6, 2026
Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) members provided more than £84bn of new lending in the first six months of 2026, new data has shown.
Figures released today (Aug 6) by the trade body, show that members advanced £84.3bn between January and June, up 5% on the same period last year.
The data also reveals that motor finance accounted for almost 27% of that total, with £22.7bn provided to households to fund new and used car purchases during the first half of the year.
Overall, households received £63.3bn in finance over the six-month period, while businesses borrowed £21bn to invest in machinery, equipment and vehicles.
Of that business total, £13bn went to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
There was also a shift in the type of lenders providing finance, with non-bank lenders providing £34.4bn of new lending in the six months to the end of June.
Elsewhere latest monthly figures showed total new business reached £14.76bn in June, an increase of 8% compared with the same month last year. Business asset finance grew by 15% to £3.82bn in June, while consumer finance rose 6% to £10.94bn.
Motor finance was one of the strongest-performing sectors, with new lending increasing by 13% year-on-year in June to £5.19bn.
In Q2 alone, motor finance lending totalled £14.35bn, up 10%, while the rolling 12-month total reached £56.75bn – 7% higher than a year earlier.
Commenting on the figures, FLA chief executive Shanika Amarasekara MBE said: ‘Behind every one of those £84bn of lending decisions is a business investing for the future or a household making an important purchase.
‘Whether it is an SME buying new equipment, a family replacing a vehicle or a company investing in technology, access to finance helps turn confidence into economic activity.
‘The UK’s long-term growth depends on businesses continuing to invest and consumers having access to competitive, responsible finance.
‘Our members provide the financial infrastructure that enables that investment every day, supporting productivity, innovation and opportunity in every nation and region of the UK.
‘As policymakers focus on driving sustainable economic growth, maintaining a diverse, competitive and innovative finance market will be essential to ensuring businesses and households continue to have access to the funding they need to thrive.’