Eligibility
Criteria
Please review the criteria below for applying for a grant.
- Eligibility Criteria
Start-Up Grant
Summary of eligibility and application requirements
About You
- Aged 18–30 years old
- Have the right to work in and are resident in the UK
- Can demonstrate a financial need in that you are unable to support the progression of the business (e.g. on Universal Credit)
About Your Business
- UK-based
- Set up for less than 2 years
- Sole traders or companies limited by shares (or not yet registered)
- If a limited company, you must hold majority ownership
- Not yet trading or has a gross trading income of less than £500/month
- Has a business bank account
- There is visible progress in establishing the business - e.g. a website, business cards, social media activity, confirmed purchases, testimonials, market research, or photos of product/premises
NOT ELIGIBLE: business sectors such as invasive beauty treatments (Botox, aesthetics, semi-permanent makeup, tattoos, fillers), consultancy or property development, drugs/tobacco/vaping, political or religious agendas, gambling, unregulated activity (e.g. crypto), finance/trading needing FCA approval, or resold mass-produced goods.
About Your Grant Request
- Maximum award is £500
- Funding is not available for any grant items with a total value of over £2,000
- Funds must be spent within one month of receipt
- Requested item(s) are expected to result in revenue generation within 3 months of the award
- Applications for a "business idea" alone won’t be considered - you need evidence of real steps taken
What You Can Use Grant Funding For
- Equipment or tools
- Stock or materials
- Prototypes and product development
- Formal, accredited training or courses
- Advertising, marketing or promotional costs
- Website/booking system/e-commerce costs
- Clothing costs – uniforms/protective clothing needed for your work
- IT hardware – must be refurbished
What Is Not Acceptable For Funding
- Salaries
- Debt repayment
- Retrospective purchases
- App or software development (must be ready to launch, or already live)
- Dual-use items (e.g. mobile phone, a car, driving lessons)
- An already established business that you wish to take on as the new owner
- Eligibility Criteria
Business Grant
Summary of eligibility and application requirements
About You
- Aged 18–30 years old
- Have the right to work in and are resident in the UK
- Can demonstrate a financial need in that you are unable to support the progression of the business (e.g. on Universal Credit)
- The business is your sole work focus, or there’s a clear plan for it to become so
About Your Business
- UK-based
- Set up for less than 3 years
- Sole traders or companies limited by shares
- If a limited company, you must hold majority ownership
- Has an average gross trading income of at least £500 per month over the last three consecutive months
- Has a business bank account
- Has visible presence as a business — e.g. a website, social media activity, confirmed purchases, testimonials, a screenshot from your Universal Credit Account confirming you are self-employed or gainfully self-employed, a UTR number for sole traders, previous month’s business bank account statement
NOT ELIGIBLE: business sectors such as invasive beauty treatments (Botox, aesthetics, semi-permanent makeup, tattoos, fillers), consultancy or property development, drugs/tobacco/vaping, political or religious agendas, gambling, unregulated activity (e.g. crypto), finance/trading needing FCA approval, or resold mass-produced goods.
About Your Grant Request
- Maximum award is £2,000
- Funding is not available for any grant items with a total value of over £10,000
- Funds must be spent within one month of receipt
- Requested item(s) are expected to result in revenue generation within 3 months of the award
What You Can Use Grant Funding For
- Equipment or tools
- Prototypes and product development
- Formal, accredited training or courses
- Advertising, marketing or promotional costs
- Website/booking system/e-commerce costs
- Clothing costs – uniforms/protective clothing needed for your work
- IT hardware – must be refurbished
- Trade body or professional membership
What Is Not Acceptable For Funding
- Salaries
- Debt repayment
- Retrospective purchases
- Rent and utilities
- App or software development (must be ready to launch, or already live)
- Stock or materials
- Subscriptions for basic operational running costs
- Dual-use items (e.g. mobile phone, a car, driving lessons)
- An already established business that you wish to take on as the new owner
