No. 01
Start up · Handbook
Start Up Loan preparation guide
Learn how to reduce avoidable delays, strengthen your application, and improve your approval outcome.
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Free, instant access guides, written by us, for founders like you. Our growing library contains both downloadable PDF handbooks and bite-size articles on a wide range of topics related to funding your business.
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Downloadable guides by bizbritain.
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No. 01
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No. 02
Funding · HandbookGuide to funding a UK business
A plain-English guide on how UK businesses raise finance, and how to give yourself the best chance of a yes.
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No. 03
Start up · HandbookStart Up Loan business plan preparation guide
A preparation guide for the business plan sections of your Start Up Loan application, built around the questions myplan actually asks.
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No. 04
Start up · HandbookStart Up Loan cash flow forecast preparation guide
How the Start Up Loans cash flow forecast builds itself in myplan, and the sales, pricing and cost figures to prepare.
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No. 05
Start up · HandbookPersonal survival budget preparation guide
What the personal survival budget is for, the fourteen categories to have figures ready for, and how it sets the salary your business pays you.
Read online
Bite-size guides for the specific question in front of you.
Short articles written by the bizbritain advisory team. Stay up to date with the latest information and guidance for SMEs.
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Business Asset Disposal Relief is changing in April 2027: what it means for buyers
Business Asset Disposal Relief is capped at £500,000 of gains from 6 April 2027. If your seller wants to finish first, plan the timetable without rushing the deal.
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Should you refinance a business loan? Do the sum before you switch
Refinance a business loan only when the saving beats the cost of switching. How to do the sum, and what changes now Bank Rate is 4%.
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Invoice finance for contractors: funding applications for payment and retentions
Invoice finance for contractors can fund some construction payments, but not all. Here is what lenders fund, what they leave out and what they check.
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When business acquisition loan rates rise: fixed, variable and the lender's test
Business acquisition loan rates can rise with Bank Rate. Check if your rate is fixed, run the lender's test again and know how to rescue a tight deal.
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Management buyout or employee ownership trust: what the team taking over should know
Management buyout or employee ownership trust? One makes the managers owners. The other puts the shares in a trust for all staff. Here is how each works.
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How long does a business loan take to get approved? Days for some finance, months for others
How long does a business loan take to get approved? From hours to a couple of months, depending on the type of finance. Here is what slows it down.
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How long does it take to buy a business? A realistic timeline from offer to completion
How long does it take to buy a business? Usually two to six months from agreed terms. Here is where the time goes, and what to start before you make an offer.
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Business premises funding as lenders tighten: should you buy the unit you rent?
Business premises funding usually means a commercial mortgage, with a deposit and monthly repayments. Here is when buying beats renting, and what lenders check.
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Franchise fees explained: what you pay up front and every month
Franchise fees include a one-off initial fee and monthly fees, often a share of sales. Here is what each covers and how to compare fee models.
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