Business Start Up Fund

The purpose of the Business Start Up Fund (BSUF) is to provide grant funding to help pre-start businesses with a robust and viable business idea to start trading earlier than would otherwise be possible, and to support early-stage businesses to grow by creating or safeguarding jobs and improving the viability of their business.

The BSUF seeks to provide assistance towards projects that will support business growth or create and safeguard jobs. A broad range of growth projects can be considered. Examples include IT and digital investments, website design and development, infrastructure, stock, and equipment costs. However the BSUF cannot support working capital requirements.

The BSUF has a two-tiered funding structure offering 100% grants of i) up to £1,000 and ii) up to £3,000.

Maximum Grant Award - Up to £1,000 - Who can apply?

Pre-Start and Start Up home-based businesses with no employees

Maximum Grant Award - Up to £3,000 - Who can apply?

Pre-Start and Start-Up businesses operating from commercial premises, or employing a minimum of 1 FTE (in addition to the business owners/directors), or VAT registered.

Eligibility

To apply for the Business Start Up Fund you must be working with a Business Gateway Lanarkshire adviser. Additionally your business must either be:

at the pre-start stage (but planning to start actively trading within 3 months of applying).

already started but have been actively trading for less than 12 months before applying.

How is funding paid?

The BSUF is paid retrospectively. This means that following a successful award, the applicant will need to pay out money upfront and then reclaim the grant money afterward. Grant funding is available for up to 100% of net costs (excluding VAT and delivery costs).

No work must start on the projects seeking grant support, and no supplier invoices must be received or orders and payments made to suppliers, until after the applicant company has received a formal decision from the council regarding their grant application.

The Quick Guide below will also help you determine at a glance if your business is eligible in principle to apply for a BSUF grant. Please read the Guidance notes for more information.

You are eligible to apply for a grant if:

you are working with a Business Gateway Lanarkshire adviser the trading/operational address of your business is within North Lanarkshire
you are a recent start-up business that has been trading for less than 12 months
you are a pre-start business that plans to start trading within the next 3 months
your business employs less than 49 FTE staff
the business has not yet started the project seeking support or paid any suppliers
you are able to justify why your business needs external funding for the project
you will be able to complete the project within 6 months* of grant award
you have not previously received a Business Start Up Fund grant or a Small Business & Self-Employed Support Scheme grant

* Or by 31 January 2026 (whichever comes first).

You are ineligible to apply for a grant if:

the project does not directly help the business to start or grow
the project has already started and/or you have already incurred project costs
your business lacks sufficient funds to pay for the full cost of the project ‘up front’
your business is not registered with Companies House (ltd co) or HMRC (sole trader)
you have not provided a HMRC Unique Tax Reference (UTR) with your application
items will be paid for by cash, credit card, HP, lease or credit/finance agreement
your project includes training/accreditation that is a legal requirement
you do not have a business bank account
you do not pay the Real Living Wage to your employees (if you have any)

How to apply

For information on how to apply and to discuss your enquiry in more detail, please contact Business Gateway Lanarkshire on 01698 520775 or lanarkshire@bgateway.com