Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
Writing off the £42bn worth of Bounce Back Loans that have been issued to small businesses is going more effective in the long-run than chasing debts which will never be repaid.
So says accountancy association the AAT, responding to the withering assessment of MPs investigating the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS).
Nearly two thirds of Bounce Back Loans, designed to help small businesses survive Covid-19, may never be repaid, according to the government’s own figures. That would leave the taxpayer staring at a loss of £26bn.
>See also: Europe’s small businesses call for three-month post-Brexit transition period
Writing off the entire £42bn worth of Bounce Back Loans would save the government £1bn in interest payments alone paid to banks while they chase bad debtors, and free up banks not to waste time working with costly debt recovery agencies.
Back in June, ex-chancellor George Osborne said that all emergency Covid-19 financial support should be written off – an assessment the AAT agrees with.
Taxpayers are facing a hit of up to £26bn because the government failed to “strike the right balance” between rescuing companies and protecting the public purse with an emergency loan scheme, MPs have warned.
>See also: Government plans