Mind the Gap: UK mid-sized businesses call for Autumn Budget action as 78% feel overlooked by Government policy

• Four in five (79%) medium-sized businesses find it hard to access government support, with 18% not knowing how to access it at all
• 35% say the economic outlook for the next 12 months is negative 
• SMEs are calling for support with energy bills, increased business rate relief and assistance accessing new markets in the Autumn Budget

As the Autumn Budget approaches, mid-sized businesses are calling on the Government for more support - with new research from Shawbrook revealing that the majority (78%) feel overlooked by existing policy.

Shawbrook’s latest research, focusing on the UK’s medium-sized businesses, highlights a significant ‘support gap’ in this market. Despite being crucial employers and drivers of UK growth, the majority feel that policy measures are instead directed either at early-stage start-ups (e.g., via EIS), or large corporate entities.

The feeling of being overlooked comes at a challenging time, with more than a third (35%) of SME leaders expressing a negative economic outlook for the next 12 months.

When asked what they are calling for in the upcoming Autumn Budget, medium sized businesses top priorities focus on operational stability and growth enablers. Key support measures being called for include:

• Support with energy bills - 26%
• Support accessing new markets - 26%
• Increased business rate relief - 25%
• Funding for digital transformation - 25%
• Increased access to finance, such as flexible funding schemes - 24%

Despite the clear need, many medium-sized businesses are struggling to engage with current schemes. The majority (79%) said they found it hard to access government support, with 18% of leaders admitting they do not know how to access it at all - and even among those who succeeded, 61% required external help to navigate the process.

Despite the significant frustrations, mid-sized business leaders remain optimistic for future positive change, with 72% reporting that they trust the Government to contribute to their growth in the next year. This optimism is felt more for larger businesses (100-249 employees), where 76% feel positive, compared to 66% of smaller firms (50-99 employees). 

Neil Rudge, Chief Banking Officer for Commercial at Shawbrook, also said:                                 

“Mid-sized firms continue to hope that the Government will offer more support for them and their growth in the year ahead. In the upcoming Autumn Budget, it will be telling to see if these hopes are confirmed or dashed given how vital these firms are for UK economic prosperity.”

_{Methodology Consumer research was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Shawbrook from 15th to 27th October 2025. A sample of 1000 funding decision makers at medium sized businesses (50 to 249 employees with an annual turnover of £5M-£100M) participated in the survey, including a sample of 250 property developers.} 

_{¹ Medium-sized businesses defined as organisations of 50 to 249 employees with an annual turnover of £5M-£100M}