Growth Lending Unveils Ambitious £150 Million Investment in UK Healthcare

Growth Lending has announced a £150 million initiative to aid the growth of healthcare and social care providers throughout the UK, committing to offer adaptable capital to a sector facing increasing demand and constrained access to financing.

The niche lender, renowned for supporting rapidly expanding B2B enterprises, will concentrate on ambitious players in social care, primary healthcare, education, and health-centric community services. Financing will be allocated through debt instruments beginning at £2 million, with an emphasis on businesses frequently neglected by conventional lenders.

To spearhead the project, Growth Lending has enlisted Dan Hewitt as Director of Debt Finance, focusing on healthcare. Hewitt brings over two decades of banking expertise, including ten years in health and social care finance. “The financial landscape for care operators has long been limiting, stifling the sector’s inherent entrepreneurial drive,” he remarked. “Our strategy evaluates forthcoming cash flows to assess borrowing potential, rather than strictly LTVs, allowing us to offer larger, more adaptable funding. The sector encounters numerous obstacles, but financing shouldn’t remain one of them.”

Growth Lending has thus far allocated over £15 million from the newly established fund. Arishta Ltd, a healthcare organization dedicated to AI-driven care home innovation, secured £10 million to initiate its acquisition strategy, beginning with two purchases in South London. In the North West, children’s care provider YourCare attained £5.5 million to grow from five to nine homes, establishing eight new beds and 25 positions.

This commitment arises amid significant strains throughout the health and care system, including bed shortages, workforce deficiencies, and limited specialist placements. Despite the Government investing £6 billion each year in hospital infrastructure, community-level providers often find it challenging to acquire the necessary capital.

Adam Brinn, Managing Director at Growth Lending, stated that the new fund intends to address that deficiency: “We’re supporting the operators who are shaping the future of care. These are well-managed businesses tackling genuine issues, which are frequently overlooked by mainstream financiers. This preliminary £150m commitment aims to furnish the capital that grants ambitious care businesses the space to expand, employ, and deliver improved outcomes.”

Growth Lending anticipates finalizing several additional healthcare deals before the conclusion of 2025, crafting a specialized portfolio focused on sustainable, community-oriented care. With Hewitt at the helm, the lender is positioning itself as a significant contributor in financing the upcoming wave of UK health and social care providers.