It’s an increasingly difficult task prising cash away from banks. According to the Impact Investing Institute, the success rate for smaller bank loans fell from 80 per cent in 2018 to around 50 per cent in 2023. In volatile times such as these, it is worth swotting up again on grants UK start ups and growth businesses of any description could be entitled to.

And it is worth a refresh. According to the FSB, one in five businesses lack awareness of growth funding options they can apply for.

Whether your business is in the biotech, environmental or in the realm of exporting, here is a list of 10 business grants ready to lend a helping hand to growing businesses.

List of business grants for start ups and growth businesses

1. Apprenticeship scheme
2. UKRI Funding Finder
3. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)
4. Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)
5. Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme
6. UK Tradeshow programme
7. Plug-in grant for low-emission vehicles
8. Grow It Award
9. Wrap grant schemes
10. Innovative Medicines Initiative

1. Apprenticeship scheme

Apprentices are aged 16 and over, combining working with studying to gain experience and knowledge of a job or industry.

As an employer, you will need to search for an apprenticeship programme and find an approved training provider. You can receive funding from the government to help pay for the apprenticeship training and assessment.

2. UKRI Funding Finder

UKRI has paused its popular Smart Grants scheme. In the meantime, you can use its comprehensive Funding Finder. Narrow down the type of funding you’re looking for and see what opportunities are available.

3. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

The SEIS scheme attracts funding of up to £250,000 into a knowledge-based company by offering its shareholders tax relief on their investment.

To be eligible, the business must not have gross assets totalling over £350,000 or have more than 25 full-time employees at the time the shares are issued.

4. Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)

Similar to SEIS, however the EIS investment cap is £5m over any 12-month period, the business must not have gross assets totalling more than £15m (and not more than £16m) and have fewer than 250 full-time employees at the time the shares are issued.

5. Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

As part of the effort to deliver faster broadband speeds across the UK, the government is subsidising the cost of installing gigabit broadband on the doorstep of a business.

SMEs get up to £4,500 funding and must be experiencing broadband speeds less than 100Mbps in an area where it is unlikely a gigabit capable network will be built in the near future.

6. Aerospace Technology Institute funding

The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) has funding opportunities for businesses in the aerospace sector. Click on the link above to find out what’s available.

7. Plug-in grant for low-emission vehicles

To help lower emissions, vehicle manufacturers and dealerships have been given grants on some low-emissions vehicles, which can then be passed on for a business’s benefit. No applications are needed to receive the grant as the dealership will deduct this automatically upon purchase.

Visit the gov.uk website for a list of approved vehicles.

8. Grow It Award

For social start-ups looking to scale, the Grow It Award provides tailored support, access to workshops and networks, and up to £18,000 in funding.

This is for businesses tackling a social issue and is already achieving “compelling performance” with a growth plan to scale nationally or internationally.

9. Wrap grant schemes

Wrap encourages the wider use of recycled materials through grants, loans and investments.

The organisation partners with The Royal Foundation to run the Earthshot Prize, awarding five one-million-pound prizes annually for the next 10 years to businesses which provide innovative solutions to environmental issues.

10. Innovative Medicines Initiative

The aim of the Innovative Medicines Initiative is to speed up the development the next generation of vaccines, medicines and treatments – and improve patient access to them.

For SMEs in the biotechnology field, the organisation provides funding through peer-reviewed funding opportunities.

See also

Top UK angel networks for your start-up – Angel investment is the third biggest investment type in the UK and the country remains the biggest angel investor market in Europe

Bootstrap your business and then find yourself an investor – You’ve managed to bootstrap your business without the help of outside capital, now it’s time to pick the right investor. Michael Elias and Hillel Zidel of Kennet Partners explain what to look for

Venture Capital Trusts Guide – What are VCTs? – Venture Capital Trusts currently manage £6bn worth of investment in UK start-ups invested in more than 1,000 companies. But what is a VCT and how does it differ to regular venture capital?