UK Export Finance
The UK’s export credit agency

We are the UK government’s export credit agency

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is a UK government ministerial department and the nation’s export credit agency (ECA).

We help UK companies access and benefit from export finance (the particular class of loans, insurance policies or bank guarantees that enable international trade to take place as easily and securely as possible). We exist to complement not compete with the private sector, providing support that fills market gaps and maintains UK competitiveness.

We help UK companies to:

• win export contracts by providing attractive financing terms to their buyers
• fulfil contracts by supporting working capital loans or contract bonds
• get paid by insuring against buyer default

We can support exports for any size of company and across all sectors, from capital goods to services and intangibles such as intellectual property.

Supporting UK businesses to meet their international ambitions

Operating for over 100 years, UKEF is an award-winning ECA with an extensive track record of success in supporting UK businesses to reach new international markets.

As a UK government department, we report to the Secretary of State for International Trade and the Minister for Exports, and are strategically and operationally aligned with the Department for Business and Trade.

UK Export Finance is the operating name of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD). It operates under the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991.  You can read more about our people, policies and procedures here.