193k firms in bounce back loan arrears Almost 200,000 small businesses have fallen into arrears on their bounce back loan repayments. Data from the British Business Bank, the state-run body administering the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), shows that 193,000 firms had failed to meet their repayment terms as at June 27. This represents about one in eight of the 1.5m small businesses encouraged to take part in the scheme. The total, released following a Freedom of Information request by Purbeck Personal Guarantee Insurance, exceeds the most up to date official number of 106,000 as of September 30, 2021. Of those in arrears, 151,000 are behind by more than 90 days in making repayments – the timeframe which is normally considered the benchmark for being in serious financial distress. These firms owe an outstanding £4.5bn. Under the £47bn BBLS, loans of between £2,000 and £50,000 were made from May 2020 to March 2021. The six-year loans at 2.5% interest were extended by the high street banks and other accredited lenders, but the risk of default stayed with the taxpayer.