The SME Loan Fund plc (the "Company")

Dividend Declaration

12 January 2017

The Directors of the Company today announce the sixth monthly dividend for the year ended 30 June 2017:

In aggregate, the Company has declared dividends of 3.60p per Ordinary Share for the period from 01 July 2016 to 31 December 2016.

As stated in the Company's Prospectus, the Company has elected to designate all of the dividend for the period ended 31 December 2016 as an interest distribution to its shareholders.  In doing so, the Company is taking advantage of UK tax treatment by "streaming" income from interest-bearing investments into dividends that will be taxed in the hands of shareholders as interest income.

Unless they have already returned a Declaration of Eligibility Form to the Registrar, investors who are eligible to receive the interest distribution without deduction of UK tax should complete the Declaration of Eligibility Form which can be found on the Company's website www.thesmeloanfund.com and return the form by post to the Registrar (Capita Asset Services) by 5pm on Friday 03 February 2017.