ENABLE Build Guarantee Facility for UK Housebuilders Increased to £350m
The ENABLE Build guarantee facility between the British Business Bank and Shawbrook has been increased to £350 million. The additional funding capacity is aimed at helping smaller housebuilders access finance for residential developments across the UK.
The British Business Bank announced the increase on October 6, 2026. Shawbrook’s existing £150 million facility has now been increased by a further £200 million. The programme is being delivered on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
ENABLE Build guarantee facility supports smaller housebuilders
The expanded ENABLE Build guarantee facility will allow Shawbrook to provide more development finance and bridging loans to smaller housebuilders. It is available to viable smaller developers across the UK, including Scotland.
Shawbrook has lent more than £3 billion to UK property developers since 2016. Of this, around £240 million was included in the existing ENABLE Build transaction between December 2024 and June 2026. The lending supported the development of around 1,200 homes.
The latest increase means about £700 million of Shawbrook lending is expected to be included under the facility over its lifetime.
The ENABLE Build programme was set up by the British Business Bank to improve access to finance for smaller housebuilders. By March 2026, it had supported more than £2 billion in finance. The programme had also contributed to the delivery of more than 10,000 homes.
The bank said the larger facility will give Shawbrook additional capacity to lend to smaller developers. The funding can support developers working on new housing projects.
Simon Knowles, Senior Director of Development Finance at Shawbrook, said the increase would enable the bank to provide funding to more housebuilders and support the progress of new developments.
For smaller developers, access to development finance can be an important part of moving housing projects forward. The increased facility gives Shawbrook additional lending capacity while continuing the existing support provided through the ENABLE Build programme.
