No, you don't need a business plan before you contact us. A business plan, personal survival budget and cash flow forecast are all required for a Start Up Loan, but myplan, bizbritain's free planning tool, builds all three with you.
What myplan does
- It asks you plain questions about your business and your household budget.
- It turns your answers into the business plan, personal survival budget and 12-month cash flow forecast the application needs.
- There are no spreadsheets and no financial modelling to do.
- The workbook itself takes around 30 minutes, rather than the days or weeks it usually takes to write from scratch.
Who can use it
myplan is free for every bizbritain applicant. You get access as soon as you apply with us.
What myplan doesn't do
myplan speeds up writing your documents. It doesn't replace the assessment: your advisor still reviews the application, and it still has to meet the scheme's requirements. If something needs more detail, your advisor will tell you.
Already written your own plan?
You don't have to use myplan. If you prefer to write your plan yourself, that's fine, but it must be in the British Business Bank's official Start Up Loans template. Your advisor can send you the template and check your plan covers everything the application needs.
Find out more on our myplan page, or read Your business plan for a Start Up Loan: what it must cover.
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026