Government-backed Start Up Loans
Need funding for a new UK business under 5 years old? Then a Government-backed Start Up Loan of £500–£25,000 could be for you. Fixed at 7.5%, with 12 months of free mentoring and free access to myplan, our AI powered business plan builder.
No credit check on the eligibility quiz. We're a credit broker, not a lender.
Scheme update: the rate is now 7.5% and the trading limit is 60 months. Read the 2026 changes guide
Two ways in
Most founders start with the 60-second eligibility check. If you already know you want to apply, jump straight to the form.
Answer six short questions and we'll tell you straight away whether you're likely to be approved — with no credit check and no obligation. Takes about 60 seconds.
No impact on your credit score.
Already know it's right for you? Fill out the form below to get started in seconds. Once you've submitted your details, a bizbritain advisor will be in touch to walk you through everything.
3 fields. No credit check at this stage.
The product
bizbritain is an official business support partner of the British Business Bank, delivering Start Up Loans to UK founders since 2013.
Borrow what you actually need — no padding, no minimum draw beyond £500.
Multiple co-founders can each apply for their own £25,000.
The rate doesn't move while you repay. No surprises mid-term.
Spread the repayments over a length that suits the business.
No arrangement fees and no early-repayment charge. Settle whenever you can.
Included with every approved loan. Real human support, not a chatbot.
Personal loan for business purposes. Subject to status. We're a credit broker, not a lender. Representative Example at the foot of the page.
New from bizbritain · myplan
Every Start Up Loans application needs a business plan, a personal survival budget and a cashflow forecast. For most founders that's the moment they stall.
myplan is our AI-powered tool that asks you simple questions about your business and produces everything you need in minutes. No complicated spreadsheets, no formulas, no guessing what information to include.
Free for every bizbritain applicant.
The journey
bizbritain has supported 11,000+ founders through this exact process. Here's what to expect.
Want the detail behind each step? Read how to apply for a Start Up Loan, step by step.
Fill out the form on this page. There's no credit check at this stage and there's no obligation. A bizbritain advisor will get in touch the same working day.
We walk you through everything, including free access to our AI tool that asks simple questions then compiles your full application pack.
Your assigned bizbritain advisor reviews everything, makes sure the application is assessment-ready, then submits it for approval.
Once approved, your loan is paid into your business bank account, your 12 months of free mentoring kicks in, and you can get on with starting up.
Eligibility
Most bizbritain founders have everyday businesses in trades or services, and many have been turned down by a high-street bank before they reach us. The Start Up Loans scheme exists exactly for that.
Already had a Start Up Loan? You may qualify for a second one: read the second-loan rules.
Already declined elsewhere? You're not alone.
Around two-thirds of Start Up Loans go to founders the mainstream banks turned down. The scheme exists for exactly this. Send us your details and let's talk.
Related reading: why 66% of UK SMEs don't apply for finance · can I get a Start Up Loan with bad credit?
Real founders, real businesses
Here are a few of them. Real people, real businesses, real results.
£25,000 Start Up Loan · 2018
“bizbritain got my restaurant funded after the bank turned me down. We now serve customers seven days a week.”
£18,000 Start Up Loan · 2021
“Four years on, I've grown from one van to a waiting list across Merseyside. bizbritain helped me apply when no one else would.”
£25,000 Start Up Loan · 2023
“Funded my first outdoor-gym builds. We're now installing across the UK with a proper team behind us.”
Latest 5-star reviews on Trustpilot
From founders we've helped through the Start Up Loans application.
Excellent
2,104 reviews
Emily was so helpful getting the application over the line. I found a lot of it complicated but Emily and the people around her stepped in a help me every step of the way.
excellent experience. Zoe was a great helper throughout the application process. I can't recommend her enough.
Karen made an outstanding effort with helping me with my application, always stayed on top of my application and assisted me with every step , very good communication and fast responses thank you very much
I’ve had a great experience with the whole start up loan process with a help from Karl. I was able to get my application approved pretty quick, recommend this company and service
Communication from Zoe was faultless, helpful & swift with replies.
YouTube · 2 min watch
Founder story
Azmol applied to bizbritain after his bank declined him. He used the funding to launch Lavang and now serves customers seven days a week.
Video published October 2018. Start Up Loan terms have changed since; the current figures are on this page. Speaker throughout: Azmol Ali (AJ), co-owner of Lavang.
0:07Hello, my name's Azmol. Everyone around here calls me AJ, it's my nickname. I'm one third of the owners of Lavang. It's another two of my business partners with me.
0:18We had to raise a bit of money to actually get started, put a bit of money towards the renovation, and realise our dreams. So the first point of call was to try and raise the funding to see what we can do. I looked through to my bank, my business partner looked at his bank, but without any financial substance behind you, it's very hard to get the level of funding that we required.
0:41Rather than give up on our dreams, we thought there must be something else out there, and bizbritain was top of the Google search. This was our first time applying for business finance. We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into, but we obviously needed the money to progress.
1:00But what we actually got, aside from money, was the expertise, the mental support, the emotional support, just someone to even email or ring when you weren't sure what to do, and actually just getting walked through that process, and actually growing as a business person. Because money runs out; however, knowledge doesn't. We've got that knowledge now to move forward.
1:26After a year and a bit of trading, we realised that we needed to expand and we wanted to do some outside decking. And this is why we thought of bizbritain and we went back to raise some additional finance. The reason we came back the second time was because of the ease of the process the first time round. We knew how difficult high street banks are, especially in this environment.
1:43Receiving the finance has obviously put us into the position where we are now, where we're actually established and trading very well. A year and a half, we've won awards, we are growing from strength to strength. Our turnover is increasing week on week. We've obviously got an extension going as well.
2:01So without having that finance and without having that support, we would not be here. I would still be in a 9-to-5 and not really realising my dreams like I am now.
vs The high-street bank
The Start Up Loans scheme was created by the Government for the founders mainstream banks routinely turn down. Here's how it stacks up.
| The high-street bank Typical first-time applicant experience | A bizbritain Start Up Loan Government-backed, FCA-authorised broker |
|---|---|
| Often won't lend without 2 – 3 years of business accounts. | Built for founders pre-launch and up to 60 months of trading. |
| A weak credit score usually means an automatic 'no'. | We assess each founder on a fuller picture, not a single number. |
| You bring the business plan and the spreadsheets. | myplan builds your plan and forecast with you, free. |
| Personal guarantee or collateral typically required. | Unsecured personal loan for business purposes. |
| You and your money are on your own once it's lent. | 12 months of free mentoring included with every approved loan. |
| Variable rates that can move on you mid-term. | 7.5% AIR, fixed for the life of the loan. |
Source: British Business Bank Start Up Loans evaluation. Around two-thirds of Start Up Loans go to founders who would not have been funded by mainstream lenders.
The balanced view
It's a strong first-business product, but it isn't the answer for everyone. Here's the honest picture.
Still unsure? Send us your details and talk it through with an advisor before you apply. No obligation, no credit check at this stage.
Frequently asked
If your question isn't here, fill out the form and a bizbritain advisor will answer it the same working day.
Apply
Submit your details below to begin your application. A named bizbritain advisor will be in touch to walk you through the process.
Representative Example
For a loan of £10,000 repayable over 60 months (5 years).
Start Up Loans is a Government-funded scheme which provides fixed-interest loans and mentoring support to aspiring business owners from across the UK who might be struggling to access other forms of finance. A subsidiary of the British Business Bank, the scheme supports employment, enables economic growth, and has a transformational impact on the lives of thousands of people.
A Start Up Loan is a personal loan for business purposes for a term of 1 to 5 years at a fixed rate of 7.5% per annum.
Applications must be aged 18 or over at the time of application. A credit check will be completed. Finance is subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.
bizbritain is a business support partner of the British Business Bank delivering Start Up Loans as part of a network of business support partners.
BizBritain Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for credit brokerage activity (Firm Reference Number: 727207). We are also registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for the processing of personal data (Registration Number: ZA062551). BizBritain Finance Limited is incorporated in England and Wales (Company Number: 08354773). Our registered office is Level 18, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NR.
bizbritain finance acts as a credit broker, not a lender. We do not make credit decisions, and we do not offer loans directly. We may receive a commission or fee from lenders or finance providers for introducing customers. This does not affect the interest rates or terms you are offered.
All calls are recorded for training, monitoring and compliance purposes. Complaints: complaints@bizbritain.com · Complaints Policy · Privacy Policy · Cookie Policy · Terms of Use · Terms of Business.
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