If no lender issues an Agreement in Principle (AIP), or you choose not to sign our engagement letter, you pay bizbritain nothing. If you've signed and your facility doesn't draw down, no success fee is charged. The retainer you paid on signing is the only fee, and bizbritain carries the rest of the risk.
What you keep
- the financial analysis and cash flow model
- the lender proposal we prepared
- our findings on why the market declined
Why this matters
You can use those findings to fix what's holding the case back, whether that's margins, debtor collection or the order book. Come back six months stronger, and the market prices you differently. See What if my business growth loan application is declined?.
How much is the retainer?
It depends on your facility size, from £500 for facilities up to £250,000 to £5,000 above £5 million. See How much does bizbritain charge for a business growth loan?. Simple deals funded by lender commission carry no retainer. See Do you take commission from lenders?.
Acquisitions are different
For acquisition finance, an abort fee can apply if you've signed our engagement letter and then decide not to proceed after a lender has issued a credit-approved offer. There's no abort fee if no lender issues a credit-approved offer, or if the deal doesn't complete for any other reason, such as the seller or the lenders withdrawing. Growth finance carries no abort fee. See the commission policy.
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026