90% of businesses want the Government to improve its efforts to encourage banks to lower the overall cost of lending.

This is one of the findings of research carried out by Syscap, an independent finance provider.

According to Syscap, 90% of businesses believe that loan arrangement fees are excessive, an even higher percentage than the 75% who feel that the lending margins banks are charging on loans are too high.

Philip White, chief executive of Syscap, said: “It will surprise many that businesses are more concerned about the arrangement fees banks are charging than they are about the margins on loans.