In 2019–20 UKEF directly supported 199 customers, falling short of its target to support 500. A further 140 customers benefited as suppliers to UKEF-supported projects. UKEF attributes lower than expected growth in the number of customers it supports to a lack of awareness among small businesses of what UKEF offers; a lack of appetite from banks to support smaller exporters; declining demand from exporters; and issues with the application process for UKEF products.42 Pact has informed us that UKEF products and services are not used by the creative businesses it represents because they are not tailored to their needs.43