Praetura has secured a £150 million back-to-back asset-based lending facility with NatWest, increasing the capacity of its Sales Finance division as it expands support for growing UK businesses.
The facility will be used across Praetura’s sales finance activity, which includes invoice discounting, asset-based lending, and cash flow loans. The lender said the arrangement will allow it to provide more funding to both new and existing customers.
The deal builds on an existing relationship between the two organisations. NatWest was the inaugural funder in Praetura’s Sales Finance division when it launched in 2016 under the Praetura Commercial Finance name. The new facility will sit alongside an existing sales finance securitisation facility.
Praetura said it has trebled its loan book to £600 million over the past five years. In 2025, it supported more than 1,500 UK SMEs with £328 million of funding. Its 150-strong team operates from offices across the North West, with additional presence in London, the Midlands, the South, and the North East.
Peadar O’Reilly, Chief Executive at Praetura, said: “Closing this facility with a renowned and respected institution reflects the quality of the whole Praetura business, and empowers us to offer more extensive funding support to UK SMEs as they continue to navigate both the challenges and opportunities created by the current economic outlook.
“The entire organisation remains committed to a common goal of supporting the sustainable growth of these businesses and we are grateful for NatWest’s backing to help us do exactly that.”
Praetura has recently backed Northamptonshire-based glass and roofing systems manufacturer Double R with a £1.4 million ABL facility to support a management buy-in, lifestyle furniture manufacturer Hydeline Furniture with £1.5 million to support product rollout and commercial strategy, and Contract Candles & Diffusers as it enters its next stage of growth.
Andrew Barraclough, Head of ABL Origination at NatWest, added: “We are delighted to support Praetura with this significant facility. The business has an experienced management team, strong credit discipline and an excellent track record in supporting UK SMEs. NatWest has a long history of backing specialist and alternative lenders through structured ABL and back-to-back solutions, helping extend funding safely and responsibly across the UK economy.”
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