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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Can I get a Start Up Loan with bad credit?
Can I get a Start Up Loan with bad credit? Often yes. What the scheme's credit check weighs, the situations that stop an application, and how to prepare.
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Can I get a second Start Up Loan? The rules for 2026
Yes, if your first loan is six months past drawdown with at least six full repayments made. The second Start Up Loan rules, including the £25,000 cap.
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How to apply for a Start Up Loan in 2026, step by step
How to apply for a Start Up Loan: the four steps, the three documents the scheme assesses, and how long each stage takes in 2026.
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Am I eligible for a Start Up Loan? The 2026 checklist
Am I eligible for a Start Up Loan? The 2026 checklist: age, residency, the 60-month trading rule, excluded business types and the second-loan route.
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Fuel is at its highest since 2022: a cost plan for van businesses
Petrol reached 161.6p a litre on 28 August and fuel duty rises in January. Here is what that costs a single van, and the two finance options worth comparing before then.
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The trusted trader register and your cash flow
The government has set out a trusted trader scheme and a milestone payment system. Here is what both change for a small trades business.
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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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