bizbritain guides
The guide library
Every article we’ve published, newest first. Filter by topic or search for the question in front of you. Cited, dated, and quietly updated when policy or rates change.
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Buying a business in 2026: what falling insolvencies mean for your timing
UK business insolvencies fell 19% in August. If you have been waiting for a weaker market to hand you a cheaper deal, the numbers have just moved the other way.
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What the Whitbread closures mean if you want to buy a pub
Whitbread closes 261 pub-restaurants this week. Less is settled about the buildings than the coverage suggests, and being ready matters more than watching listings.
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What is the UK equivalent of an SBA loan?
The UK equivalent of an SBA loan is not one scheme but two: the Growth Guarantee Scheme and Start Up Loans. How they map, and where the map breaks down.
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Funding a buy-and-build: how roll-up acquisitions get financed
How a buy-and-build strategy is financed: the platform acquisition stack, a revolver for the bolt-ons, and what lenders want to see before deal two.
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Can you buy a business with no money down in the UK?
Can you buy a business with no money down in the UK? Usually no, occasionally yes. The three mechanisms that are real, and what they cost you instead of cash.
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Management buy-in finance: funding the business you'll run next
Management buy-in finance funds an outside operator buying a business to run. How lenders price first-time buyers, and a worked £225k unsecured example.
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How to fund a management buyout
How to fund a management buyout: cashflow-led debt, seller deferral, and the team's own stake. A worked £670k example, and the route for deals under £3m.
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Getting a loan to buy into a partnership (or out of one)
How a loan to buy into a partnership works, and how partner and shareholder buy-outs get funded. What lenders look for, and the structures that fit.
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How much deposit do you need to buy a business?
How much deposit do you need to buy a business in the UK? Most buyers put in 10% to 30% of the price. What counts, and how vendor finance shrinks it.
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Pub and hotel finance in 2026: what the Treasury review means for your borrowing plan
The Treasury has commissioned an independent review of how pubs and hotels are valued for business rates. It reports in March 2027 and cannot change a bill before 2029, so here is what it means for a purchase, a refit or a growth facility you are planning now.
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Buying a business in 2026: how acquisition finance actually works
Mike Ashley just bought Harvey Nichols out of administration. You do not need his balance sheet to buy a business, but you do need the same three moves: find the deal, structure the finance, and run it.
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