Specialist lender Praetura has secured a £150m back-to-back asset-based lending (ABL) facility with NatWest, in a move designed to expand funding support for UK SMEs.
The deal strengthens Praetura’s Sales Finance division, enabling it to increase its funding capacity across products including invoice discounting, ABL and cash flow loans.
The facility builds on an existing relationship between the two firms, with NatWest having acted as the inaugural funder when Praetura first launched its Sales Finance division in 2016. The latest agreement will sit alongside an existing sales finance securitisation facility, with Praetura describing the partnership as a “vote of confidence” in its ability to deploy capital to SMEs navigating ongoing macroeconomic pressures.
The Manchester-headquartered business has trebled its loan book to £600m over the past five years, which it attributes in part to its consultative approach to structuring finance that can scale alongside client growth.
The announcement follows a strong year for Praetura, which supported more than 1,500 UK SMEs with £328m of funding in 2025. The firm employs around 150 staff across offices in the North West, alongside a presence in London, the Midlands, the South and the North East.
Recent deals include a £1.4m ABL facility for Northamptonshire-based manufacturer Double R to support a management buy-in, and £1.5m for lifestyle furniture brand Hydeline Furniture to aid product rollout and commercial strategy. Praetura has also backed premium home fragrance producer Contract Candles & Diffusers as it enters its next phase of growth.
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.”
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.”
