SMEs: Govt not doing enough during downturn

British small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have demanded that the government do more to help them through the financial crisis.

An investigation by the software provider Intuit found that around 75% of SMEs think that the government could be doing more to ease the burden of the credit crunch, which has seen significant tightening in lending criteria.

The research also uncovered that about two-thirds of the UK's SMEs are dissatisfied with the current services being offered by the banking sector, with half believing lenders should reduce their charges.

Catherine Harrell, group strategy manager at Intuit, said: "The government's move is clearly a welcome one."

"There are tough times ahead, and small businesses' success will be dependent on a number of factors, specifically ample support from banks."

In a speech yesterday, Treasury minister Yvette Cooper called for major tax cuts to be announced in the coming Pre-Budget speech.