Today, GIF has invested £500,000 in Blike CIC, a social enterprise that supports underserved communities access affordable e-bikes across the UK.

Over 5 million people in the UK live in transport poverty, and the Cycle to Work scheme, the country’s main route to an affordable e-bike, excludes every worker without a traditional employer. Today, the Growth Impact Fund (GIF) has invested £500,000 in Blike CIC to help change this.

Blike CIC is a social enterprise dedicated to helping underserved communities access affordable e-bikes across the UK. Transport poverty affects more than 5 million people nationwide, with high costs pushing many households below the poverty line. The issue is highly regional; areas in the Northeast and West Midlands face the greatest difficulties due to limited transport options and lower average incomes. Meanwhile, the standard Cycle to Work scheme excludes an estimated 1.9 million people, including contractors, shift workers, carers, and anyone outside the scope of traditional employment.

Founded in 2020, Blike champions cycling as a solution to the UK’s cost-of-living crisis, transport poverty, public health issues, unemployment, and climate change, challenges which all disproportionately affect people on low incomes. Over 90% of the company’s current riders are from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with strong participation from women and ethnic minority groups.

To date, Blike has supported 1,053 customers and helped 877 households secure affordable e-bikes. Operating through a network of 52 independent bike shops across the UK, bikes are delivered, fitted, and serviced locally rather than through a central depot. The group has also run a free-trial partnership with the NHS and works with cycling inclusion charities, such as She’s Electric, to encourage more women to start cycling.

This new investment from the Growth Impact Fund will enable Blike to deliver low-cost e-bike subscriptions specifically targeted at young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET), low-paid shift workers, and parents on benefits. It will also allow the company to expand outside of London for the first time, focusing on regional access through partnership with local councils. The wider e-bike market is growing rapidly; the UK market alone reached £375 million in 2025 (up 21% from the previous year), yet millions of people still remain locked out of affordable transportation.

Hana Hussain, Director of Investment, said:

“We are delighted to support Blike CIC as it tackles one of the UK’s most overlooked inequalities: transport poverty. Access to affordable, reliable transport is fundamental to participating in society, enabling people to access work, education, healthcare and other essential services. Yet millions of people remain excluded because of where they live, their income level, or because traditional schemes do not meet their needs. Blike’s focus on underserved groups, including low-paid shift workers, carers, contractors, young people and families on low incomes, strongly aligns with our mission to back organisations addressing systemic social inequalities. This challenge is particularly acute in regions such as the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East, where limited transport options can act as a significant barrier to opportunity. This investment reflects our commitment to delivering more regional impact across the UK by backing organisations that create opportunities in underserved communities. We believe Blike’s combination of strong social purpose, proven demand and ambitious expansion plans will help more people access employment, education and essential services, contributing to a fairer and more inclusive economy.”

Tim Carrigan and Steve Ellis, Co-Founders of Blike, said:

“Since launch, we’ve seen first-hand how many families, carers, shift workers, and contractors are locked out of schemes like Cycle to Work, despite being the very groups who stand to benefit most from affordable e-mobility. Blike CIC is our response to that gap: a dedicated social enterprise that can finance and deploy e-bikes into underserved communities while our commercial business continues to scale. With GIF’s support, we can start putting bikes into communities where access to transport can help people reach work, training, childcare, and essential services.”

Ria Moore, Head of Community Mobility at Blike CIC, said:

“At Blike CIC, we believe that where you live shouldn’t determine your access to opportunity. Across major cities, there are communities where getting to work, education, or essential services isn’t always easy, and owning a bike can feel out of reach because of upfront costs, lack of secure storage, or simply not knowing where to start. This isn’t just about providing bikes; it’s about connecting people to opportunities, reducing transport inequality, and helping create healthier, more sustainable communities.”