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Government-backed Start Up Loans

Apply for your Start Up Loan.

Need funding for a UK business under 5 years old? Then a Government-backed Start Up Loan of £500–£25,000 could be for you. Fixed at 7.5%, with 12 months of free mentoring and free access to our AI powered business planning tool*.

Founders funded
10,000+ Through the Start Up Loans scheme
Lent
£125m+ Across all four UK nations
Trustpilot
Excellent From 1,973 reviews

No credit check on the eligibility quiz. We're a credit broker, not a lender.

  • 7.5% Fixed Interest rate per year
  • Trading up to 5 years Trading history
  • £500 – £25,000 Borrow
  • Repay over 1–5 years Flexible repayment
  • Free 12-month mentoring Business support
  • No early repayment fees Exit freely

Two ways in

Two ways to get started.

Most founders start with the 60-second eligibility check. If you already know you want to apply, jump straight to the form.

Path A · Recommended Most popular

Check if you're eligible

Answer six short questions and we'll tell you straight away whether you're likely to be approved — with no credit check and no obligation. Takes about 60 seconds.

No impact on your credit score.

Path B

Apply for a Start Up Loan

Already know it's right for you? Fill out the form below to get started in seconds. Once you've submitted your details, a bizbritain advisor will be in touch to walk you through everything.

3 fields. No credit check at this stage.

The product

A Government-backed Start Up Loan, with no surprises.

bizbritain is an official business support partner of the British Business Bank, delivering Start Up Loans to UK founders since 2013.

£500 – £25,000 per founder

Borrow what you actually need — no padding, no minimum draw beyond £500.

Up to £100,000 per business

Multiple co-founders can each apply for their own £25,000.

7.5% Fixed Interest

The rate doesn't move while you repay. No surprises mid-term.

1 – 5 year term

Spread the repayments over a length that suits the business.

No fees, no penalty

No arrangement fees and no early-repayment charge. Settle whenever you can.

12 months free mentoring

Included with every approved loan. Real human support, not a chatbot.

Personal loan for business purposes. Subject to status. We're a credit broker, not a lender. Representative Example at the foot of the page.

New from bizbritain · MyPlan

Tell us about your business. We'll write the plan with you.

Every Start Up Loans application needs a business plan, a personal survival budget and a cashflow forecast. For most founders that's the moment they stall.

MyPlan is our AI-powered tool that asks you simple questions about your business and produces everything you need in minutes. No complicated spreadsheets, no formulas, no guessing what information to include.

Start my application

Free for every bizbritain applicant.

The journey

From ‘will they say yes?’ to funded — in four steps.

bizbritain has supported 10,000+ founders through this exact process. Here's what to expect.

  1. 01 ~ 60 seconds

    Submit your details

    Fill out the form on this page. There's no credit check at this stage and there's no obligation. A bizbritain advisor will get in touch the same working day.

  2. 02 ~ 30 minutes

    Build your business plan

    We walk you through everything, including free access to our AI tool that asks simple questions then compiles your full application pack.

  3. 03 Same week

    We review your application

    Your assigned bizbritain advisor reviews everything, makes sure the application is assessment-ready, then submits it for approval.

  4. 04 1 – 2 weeks

    Funds in your account

    Once approved, your loan is paid into your business bank account, your 12 months of free mentoring kicks in, and you can get on with starting up.

Eligibility

If any of these sound like you, you're in the right place.

Most bizbritain founders have everyday businesses in trades or services, and many have been turned down by a high-street bank before they reach us. The Start Up Loans scheme exists exactly for that.

  • You're 18 or over and a current UK resident.
  • You have the right to work in the UK.
  • You're starting a new business or have been trading for up to 60 months.
  • Your business is based in the UK.
  • You haven't had a Start Up Loan before.
  • Your business type and loan purpose are eligible under the scheme.
  • You can afford to repay the loan and you pass the scheme's credit check.
  • You haven't been declined for a Start Up Loan in the last six months.

Already declined elsewhere? You're not alone.

Around two-thirds of Start Up Loans go to founders the mainstream banks turned down. The scheme exists for exactly this. Send us your details and let's talk.

Start my application

Real founders, real businesses

10,000+ businesses started here.

Here are a few of them. Real people, real businesses, real results.

Azmol Ali, Lavang restaurant founder

Azmol Ali Lavang · Restaurant, West Midlands

£25,000 Start Up Loan · 2022

“bizbritain got my restaurant funded after the bank turned me down. We now serve customers seven days a week.”

Fiona Kelly, Chic Tails Mobile Dog Grooming founder

Fiona Kelly Chic Tails Mobile Dog Grooming · Merseyside

£18,000 Start Up Loan · 2021

“Four years on, I've grown from one van to a waiting list across Merseyside. bizbritain helped me apply when no one else would.”

Alex Evans, Exo-Gym Ltd founder

Alex Evans Exo-Gym Ltd · Outdoor gym builds, UK-wide

£25,000 Start Up Loan · 2023

“Funded my first outdoor-gym builds. We're now installing across the UK with a proper team behind us.”

Latest 5-star reviews on Trustpilot

Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.

From founders we've helped through the Start Up Loans application.

Excellent 1,973 reviews
Azmol Ali at Lavang restaurant YouTube · 2 min watch

Founder story

Watch Azmol Ali talk about getting his restaurant funded.

Azmol applied to bizbritain after his bank declined him. He used the funding to launch Lavang and now serves customers seven days a week.

vs The high-street bank

Why a Start Up Loan exists.

The Start Up Loans scheme was created by the Government for the founders mainstream banks routinely turn down. Here's how it stacks up.

The high-street bank Typical first-time applicant experience A bizbritain Start Up Loan Government-backed, FCA-authorised broker
Often won't lend without 2 – 3 years of business accounts. Built for founders pre-launch and up to 60 months of trading.
A weak credit score usually means an automatic 'no'. We assess each founder on a fuller picture, not a single number.
You bring the business plan and the spreadsheets. MyPlan builds your plan and forecast with you, free.
Personal guarantee or collateral typically required. Unsecured personal loan for business purposes.
You and your money are on your own once it's lent. 12 months of free mentoring included with every approved loan.
Variable rates that can move on you mid-term. 7.5% AIR, fixed for the life of the loan.

Source: British Business Bank Start Up Loans evaluation. Around two-thirds of Start Up Loans go to founders who would not have been funded by mainstream lenders.

Frequently asked

The questions founders ask most.

If your question isn't here, fill out the form and a bizbritain advisor will answer it the same working day.

What is a Start Up Loan?
A Start Up Loan is a Government-backed personal loan for business purposes, funded by the British Business Bank. You can borrow £500–£25,000 per founder at a fixed rate of 7.5% AIR per annum, repayable over 1 to 5 years. Each approved loan also includes 12 months of free business mentoring. bizbritain is an official business support partner delivering the scheme.
Am I eligible for a Start Up Loan?
You're eligible if you're 18 or over, a UK resident with the right to work in the UK, and either pre-launch or trading for up to 60 months. Your business must be UK-based, your business type and loan purpose must be eligible under the scheme, you must pass the scheme's credit checks, and you can't have had a Start Up Loan before.
Will applying affect my credit score?
Filling out the form on this page does not affect your credit score and there's no obligation. A formal Start Up Loan application later in the process does involve a full credit check by the British Business Bank, like any regulated loan application.
I've already been declined by my bank — can I still apply?
Yes, and you're exactly who the scheme exists for. The British Business Bank's own evaluation found that around two-thirds of Start Up Loans go to founders who would not have been funded by mainstream lenders. Being declined by a high-street bank does not stop you from being approved for a Start Up Loan.
How much can I borrow?
£500 to £25,000 per founder, with up to four co-founders per business each able to apply for their own £25,000 — so a business with multiple founders can raise up to £100,000 in total. The right amount for you depends on what your plan and cashflow can comfortably support.
What's the interest rate and are there any fees?
The interest rate is 7.5% AIR per annum, fixed for the life of the loan (7.78% APR — see the Representative Example at the foot of the page for the full breakdown). There are no arrangement fees and no early-repayment penalties — you can settle the loan whenever you can afford to.
How long does the application take?
The bulk of the work is getting your business plan and forecast to an approvable standard. Using MyPlan, the workbook itself takes around 30 minutes rather than the days or weeks it usually takes to write from scratch. From submission it generally takes 1–2 weeks to reach approval, depending on how much work the documents need and provided you're ready to engage and send over any information requested. Once approved, your loan can be drawn down within 24 hours.
What is MyPlan?
MyPlan is bizbritain's free AI tool that builds your full Start Up Loans application workbook — business plan, personal survival budget and cashflow forecast — by asking you simple questions about your business. There's no need for spreadsheets or financial modelling. MyPlan is included free for every bizbritain applicant.
Do I need a business plan to apply?
Yes — a business plan, a personal survival budget and a cashflow forecast are all required as part of the British Business Bank application. You don't need to write them before you contact us. Once you're eligible, MyPlan helps you build all three.
Is bizbritain a lender?
No. bizbritain is an FCA-authorised credit broker (Firm Reference Number 727207) and an official business support partner of the British Business Bank. We help you prepare and submit your Start Up Loan application; the British Business Bank makes the lending decision.

Apply

Ready to start?

Submit your details below to begin your application. A named bizbritain advisor will be in touch to walk you through the process.

By clicking ‘Apply for my Start Up Loan’ you'll receive an email confirming the next steps. Your name and email are also shared with the Start Up Loans Company (SULCo) so they can register your initial interest. See our Privacy Notice and the SULCo privacy notice.

Representative Example

For a loan of £10,000 repayable over 60 months (5 years).

Total interest
£2,027.00
Total repayment
£12,027.00
Monthly repayment
£200.45

Start Up Loans is a Government-funded scheme which provides fixed-interest loans and mentoring support to aspiring business owners from across the UK who might be struggling to access other forms of finance. A subsidiary of the British Business Bank, the scheme supports employment, enables economic growth, and has a transformational impact on the lives of thousands of people.

A Start Up Loan is a personal loan for business purposes for a term of 1 to 5 years at a fixed rate of 7.5% per annum.

Applications must be aged 18 or over at the time of application. A credit check will be completed. Finance is subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.

bizbritain is a business support partner of the British Business Bank delivering Start Up Loans as part of a network of business support partners.

bizbritain finance limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for credit brokerage activity (Firm Reference Number 727207). We are also registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for the processing of personal data (Registration Number ZA062551). bizbritain finance limited is incorporated in England and Wales (Company Number 08354773). Registered office: Level 18, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NR.

bizbritain finance acts as a credit broker, not a lender. We do not make credit decisions, and we do not offer loans directly. We may receive a commission or fee from lenders or finance providers for introducing customers. This does not affect the interest rates or terms you are offered.

All calls are recorded for training, monitoring and compliance purposes. Complaints: complaints@bizbritain.com · Complaints Policy · Privacy Policy · Cookie Policy · Terms of Use · Terms of Business.