bizbritain guides
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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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Declined by the bank? What to do when your accounts don't tell the whole story
A bank decline is a verdict on your filed accounts, not your business. What specialist lenders read instead, and what to do in the fortnight after a no.
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Consignment stock and supplier finance: the 50/50 structure that completes a deal
When a lender will only fund half the order, your supplier can often carry the rest. How consignment stock and supplier-finance top-ups complete trade deals.
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Trade finance: how to fund stock before your customers pay
What trade finance is, how import and stock funding work in practice, and when a revolving trade facility beats a term loan.
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October 2026 tax deadlines: what to sort out before the bills land
Corporation Tax, VAT and PAYE bills can all fall due inside three weeks this October. Here are the dates, how to work out your own, and what to do if the cash will not be there.
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Zero hours reform and your cash flow: a working capital plan for 2027
The consultation on zero hours contracts has closed. New rules on shift notice and cancelled shifts are expected in 2027, and they turn a flexible cost into a fixed one.
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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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UK SME loan rates in 2026: the effective rate has drifted to 6.36%
The Bank of England has not moved Bank Rate since 30 July, but the average rate on new small business loans reached 6.36% in June. What that gap means, and how to sequence an application around it.
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UK Start Up Loans 2026: The 7.5% rate, five-year rule and second-loan option most guides get wrong
Two rules changed on 6 April 2026, and most of the guides still ranking were written before that. Here is what the scheme itself says in 2026.
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UK retail sales July 2026: What the ONS numbers really mean for small retailers preparing for Q4
The headline says sales fell 0.5% in July. The three-month trend, the annual comparison and the historic level all say something else, and the difference matters if you are about to commit to Q4 stock.
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Why 66% of UK SMEs still don't apply for finance, and how to fix it in 10 minutes
These 5 myths are killing founder confidence. In this guide you will learn how to address them in 10 minutes.
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UK personal guarantee backed borrowing surged 63% in Q2 2026: where the money is actually coming from
What the surge in personally guaranteed borrowing means, what a guarantee actually commits you to, and six questions to ask before signing.
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