Scheme features include:
1. Up to £2m facility per business
The maximum amount of a facility provided under the scheme is £2m per business group for borrowers outside the scope of the Northern Ireland Protocol, and up to £1m per business group for Northern Ireland Protocol borrowers. Minimum facility sizes vary, starting at £1,000 for asset and invoice finance, and £25,001 for term loans and overdrafts.
A borrower in scope of the Northern Ireland Protocol may borrow up to £1m per business group, unless such borrower operates in a sector where aid limits are reduced, in which case the maximum that can be borrowed is subject to a lower cap. These include agriculture, fisheries / aquaculture and road freight haulage.
Our maximum facility size under the scheme is £150,000.
2. Term Length
Term loans and asset finance facilities are available from three months, for up to six years, with overdrafts and invoice finance available from three months, for up to three years.
We only offer 3 or 4 year term facilities.
3. Personal Guarantees
Personal guarantees can be taken at the lender’s discretion, in line with their normal commercial lending practices. Principal Private Residences cannot be taken as security within the Scheme.
4. Guarantee to the Lender
The scheme provides the lender with a 70% government-backed guarantee against the outstanding balance of the facility after it has completed its normal recovery process. The borrower always remains 100% liable for the debt.
5. Subsidy
The assistance provided through RLS, like many Government-backed business support activities, is regarded as a subsidy and is deemed to benefit the borrower. There is a limit to the amount of subsidy that may be received by a borrower, and its wider group, over any rolling three-year period. Any previous subsidy may reduce the amount a business can borrow.
All borrowers in receipt of a subsidy from a publicly-funded programme should be provided with a written statement, confirming the level and type of aid received.
Borrowers will need to provide written confirmation that receipt of the RLS facility will not mean that the business exceeds the maximum amount of subsidy they are allowed to receive.
6. Northern Ireland Protocol
All borrowers will need to answer some questions to determine whether they are inside or outside the scope of the Northern Ireland Protocol, to determine the relevant subsidy limit and hence the potential maximum amount they can borrow under RLS.
Please note: The following are not eligible under RLS:
– Banks, Building Societies, Insurers and Reinsurers (excluding Insurance Brokers)
– Public sector bodies.
– State funded primary and secondary schools.
