{"id":9464,"date":"2026-08-05T16:28:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T15:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=9464"},"modified":"2026-08-05T16:39:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T15:39:04","slug":"get-funding-start-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/get-funding-start-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get funding to start a business"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to get funding to start a business\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-05T16:28:12+01:00\">5 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to get funding to start a business\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/get-funding-start-business\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/staceymcintosh\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/11\/Stacey-McIntosh-350-1.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Stacey McIntosh<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From&nbsp;<em>The Apprentice<\/em>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<em>Dragons\u2019 Den<\/em>,&nbsp;we\u2019ve&nbsp;all seen TV shows where would-be entrepreneurs pitch for funding to start a small business (or scale a company later down the line).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While these shows make for great entertainment, they can make the idea of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/sound-advice-win-investment-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">getting investment<\/a>&nbsp;seem&nbsp;rather scary.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the real world, there are several ways to get funding to start a business in the UK,&nbsp;and you&nbsp;won\u2019t&nbsp;get shouted at by leaders of industry in the process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you need a small amount to cover early setup costs or a larger investment to buy equipment or rent premises, understanding your funding options can help you choose the right route from the start.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<section id=\"key-takeaways\" class=\"wp-block-sage-key-takeaways\"><div class=\"sage-key-takeaways__inner\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-3-font-size\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>There are several ways to get funding<\/strong> to start a business, including bank loans, government startup loans, grants, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, and private investment.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The best funding\u00a0option\u00a0depends<\/strong> on how much money you need, what you need it for, your repayment\u00a0ability,\u00a0and how much control you want to keep.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Loans can help cover startup costs<\/strong> without giving away equity, but they add repayment pressure and may require a strong credit history, business\u00a0plan,\u00a0or collateral.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Grants and crowdfunding <\/strong>may help you raise money without traditional borrowing, but they can be competitive, time-consuming,\u00a0and dependent on a strong application or pitch.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Before applying for funding<\/strong>, prepare a clear business plan, realistic financial\u00a0forecasts,\u00a0and evidence that you can manage the money responsibly.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s\u00a0what\u00a0we&#8217;ll\u00a0cover:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#why-anchor-link\" data-level=\"2\">How to get funding to start a business<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#more-anchor-link\" data-level=\"2\">Which is the best funding option for a small business<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-documentation-to-provide-when-applying-for-funding\" data-level=\"2\">What documentation to provide&nbsp;when applying for funding<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-get-financing-to-start-a-business\" data-level=\"2\">Why get financing to start a business?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-learning-how-to-finance-a-business-is-just-one-piece-of-the-puzzle\" data-level=\"2\">Learning how to finance a business is just one piece of the puzzle<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions-on-business-funding\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently&nbsp;asked&nbsp;questions on business funding<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-anchor-link\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get funding to start a business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can get funding to start a business through personal savings, loans from family and friends, bank finance, government-backed startup loans, grants, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer&nbsp;lending,&nbsp;or private equity investment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technology companies, manufacturing firms,&nbsp;and retail businesses&nbsp;almost always&nbsp;need external investment to get going,&nbsp;so if&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;decided to seek third-party funding, know&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;in good company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;have your own personal savings to invest in financing your startup, the following methods could help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"how-anchor-link\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family and friends\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting a loan from friends or family is one of the oldest ways of financing a startup business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your relatives or acquaintances may either lend you the money until you start making a profit or ask for a share in your company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The benefit of turning to friends and family is that they may lend you&nbsp;the money&nbsp;for nothing (or at very reasonable rates of interest).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But, of course, if things go wrong with your business and you&nbsp;can\u2019t&nbsp;repay the loan, this could affect your personal relationships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-banks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Banks\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Banks are another traditional&nbsp;place to seek&nbsp;funding to start a small business. You approach the bank and apply for a business loan, then repay the amount borrowed with interest over an agreed period.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A&nbsp;bank loan&nbsp;can be useful if you want a clear repayment structure and&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;want to give away equity in your company. Some banks also offer other forms of business finance, such as overdrafts, credit&nbsp;cards,&nbsp;or asset finance, which may be more suitable if you only need short-term cash flow support or want to spread the cost of equipment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, banks will usually want to see that your business idea is\u00a0viable\u00a0before they\u00a0lend\u00a0to you. This means you may need to provide a detailed business plan, realistic financial\u00a0forecasts,\u00a0and evidence that you can afford the repayments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unless you have a strong credit history or collateral to back\u00a0the loan up, such as property or other assets, it may be difficult to get money in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-uk-government-start-up-loans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">UK government start-up loans\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The UK&nbsp;government\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/apply-start-up-loan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start Up Loan scheme<\/a>&nbsp;can lend between \u00a3500 and \u00a325,000 to small businesses with an annual interest rate of 6%. The loans must be repaid within five years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These government-backed loans do come with&nbsp;relatively strict&nbsp;eligibility criteria, though.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You must be 18 or over, be a UK resident,&nbsp;and provide evidence that you&nbsp;couldn\u2019t&nbsp;raise funding through other avenues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-grants\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Grants\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grants are a way of getting free money to start a small business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These sums are made available through a variety of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/government-grants-for-small-businesses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">government grant programmes<\/a>, regional governments, universities, and major institutions (such as museums, professional membership&nbsp;bodies,&nbsp;or cultural funds).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Business grants are normally awarded to startups on&nbsp;a very specific&nbsp;basis, normally to solve certain problems.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if a local council was looking to regenerate its manufacturing sector, it might provide grants to manufacturing companies to encourage more employment in their town.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grants often come with strings attached and require a long application process. But if you can prove that you meet the requirements, this can be&nbsp;a great way&nbsp;of accessing capital.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can find listings of new grants at the following websites:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/find-government-grants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UK Government Grants List<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grantfinder.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GrantFinder<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grantsonline.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grants Online<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crowdfunding\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/crowdfunding-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crowdfunding<\/a>&nbsp;is&nbsp;a&nbsp;relatively new&nbsp;way to find funding to start a business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are various crowdfunding websites where you create a page describing what your business will do and how much money you are looking for. People on the website may then decide to provide you with small sums of money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a few&nbsp;different kinds&nbsp;of crowdfunding:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Donation:<\/strong>\u00a0people\u00a0give you money because they like the idea behind your business,\u00a0with no expectation of anything in return.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Equity:\u00a0<\/strong>investors\u00a0will ask for a share of your business in return for their investment. They effectively become your\u00a0shareholders,\u00a0and\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0have to\u00a0pay out\u00a0dividends to them in future if the business is a success.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Debt:\u00a0<\/strong>with\u00a0this kind of crowdfunding, people who lend you money will expect it back with interest in an agreed\u00a0time frame.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crowdfunding is especially popular for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/rockit-grants-crowdfunding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unusual or interesting startups<\/a>&nbsp;that might struggle to access funding from other sources.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your ability to raise funds relies on how well you can pitch and promote your&nbsp;idea&nbsp;on these websites.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fundingcircle.com\/uk\/introducers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FundingCircle<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kickstarter<\/a>&nbsp;are some of the most popular sites for crowdfunding to start a business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-peer-to-peer-p2p-funding\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Peer-to-Peer\u00a0(P2P)\u00a0funding\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Peer-to-Peer&nbsp;(P2P)&nbsp;funding is a way for businesses to borrow money from individual investors through an online lending platform rather than resorting to a traditional bank.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You apply through the platform, which reviews your business, checks&nbsp;affordability,&nbsp;and assesses the risk of lending to you. If approved, your loan may then be funded by individual investors or by a pool of lenders using the platform.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P2P funding can be useful if you want a structured loan but are struggling to access finance through a bank. The application process may also be quicker than a traditional loan, although rates and fees can vary depending on your credit profile,&nbsp;your&nbsp;business&nbsp;performance, and the platform you use.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with any form of borrowing, make sure you understand the repayment terms before applying. Missing payments could affect your credit rating and put extra pressure on your business cash flow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#gate-8bedd1ad-a10c-406c-a489-1e41f370e38b\">Download your free guide, How to pitch for investment as a small business<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-anchor-link\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Private equity\u00a0investment\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/dealing-with-investors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Getting investors on board<\/a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;your&nbsp;idea&nbsp;is another potential way of finding capital to start a business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An&nbsp;investor will normally provide a large amount of money, which you can use to grow the company. Investors will expect equity in the business and may insist on being involved in decision-making.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a couple of kinds of investment:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Angel investment:\u00a0<\/strong>a\u00a0wealthy individual provides equity finance to your business. Angel investors often get involved right from the beginning of the company\u2019s journey. The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukbaa.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UK Business Angels Association<\/a>\u00a0is a good place to start\u00a0here.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Venture capital:<\/strong>\u00a0there are various large venture capital funds. They typically invest in startups that have already got a couple of years under their belt, but they may occasionally invest in promising new businesses. Try\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bvca.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UK Private Capital<\/a>\u00a0to begin.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can be challenging to find an investor who will provide the funds that will help you start a&nbsp;business,&nbsp;and you may have to hand over a certain amount of control to them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said,&nbsp;they\u2019re&nbsp;normally very experienced running companies and can provide advice and guidance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"more-anchor-link\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which is the best funding option for a small business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best funding option is the one that gives you enough money to launch without creating repayment pressure, unnecessary&nbsp;risk,&nbsp;or a loss of control&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;uncomfortable with.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by looking at what the money is for. If you need equipment,&nbsp;stock,&nbsp;or premises, a structured loan might make sense because you can match repayments against expected income. If your business supports a specific local, social, cultural,&nbsp;or innovation goal, it may be worth researching grants before taking on debt.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should also think about how predictable your future income is. If&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;not sure when money will start coming in, borrowing can put pressure on your cash flow. In that case, you may want to consider options that&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;require immediate repayments, such as grants,&nbsp;crowdfunding,&nbsp;or equity investment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, decide how much control you want to keep.&nbsp;Loans usually let you retain ownership, but you\u2019ll need to repay them whether or not the business succeeds.&nbsp;Equity investment can bring in experience and support as well as money, but it normally means giving investors a say in the future of the company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Are you ready to be your own boss?<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Dreaming of managing your own business? Take our quiz to see how ready you are to take the plunge.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/business-readiness-assessment\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"cta-id-8930\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Take the quiz<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/03\/CTA-2.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/03\/CTA-2.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-documentation-to-provide-when-applying-for-funding\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What documentation to provide\u00a0when applying for funding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of the application&nbsp;process,&nbsp;you\u2019ll&nbsp;usually need to provide a clear business plan, realistic financial forecasts,&nbsp;and evidence that shows lenders or investors you can manage the money responsibly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;found a potential source of funding for your business, make sure you read the requirements of the lender or investor in detail. They normally ask for&nbsp;very specific&nbsp;information on your application.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;applying to finance a small business startup, you will, at a minimum, need to provide:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A business plan, which explains what the business is and how you expect to grow it.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Financial projections, which show (realistically) how you will generate income and reach break-even.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Information about your professional and educational background.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Details about your personal finances,\u00a0including your savings, debts,\u00a0and if\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0ever filed for bankruptcy.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-get-financing-to-start-a-business\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why get financing to start a business?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might seek financing for your business if you need help covering upfront costs, protecting cash flow,&nbsp;or investing in the equipment, premises,&nbsp;and people&nbsp;required&nbsp;to launch properly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While UK startups&nbsp;generally resort&nbsp;to a mix of funding options,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/startupawards.uk\/startup-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research from 2025<\/a>&nbsp;showed that 91% of them rely heavily on self-funding, and&nbsp;22% turn to family or friends for financial help.&nbsp;So&nbsp;it might be easier than you think to&nbsp;start a business without borrowing money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, there are several reasons why you might want to seek external financing to start your business:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Equipment costs:\u00a0computers, vehicles,\u00a0tools,\u00a0or machinery.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Premises costs:\u00a0renting an office,\u00a0workshop,\u00a0or factory space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Staff:\u00a0if your business needs staff so it can run effectively, you might need help to pay their salaries.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That explains why, in the same study, 12% of founders secured debt funding through a bank loan, 12% accessed UK or local government grants, and 13% attracted angel investment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-learning-how-to-finance-a-business-is-just-one-piece-of-the-puzzle\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learning how to finance a business is just one piece of the puzzle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether or not you decide to get funding to start a business, being an entrepreneur requires more than just startup capital.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll&nbsp;also need to consider the administrative side of running a company and think about your mindset,&nbsp;too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And&nbsp;that\u2019s&nbsp;where our business readiness quiz helps. It takes just a couple of minutes to complete and will give you&nbsp;personalised&nbsp;guidance about what you need to do to get ready to launch and boss your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a class=\"button button--primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/business-readiness-assessment\/\">Dreaming of bossing your own business? Take our quiz to see how ready you are to take the plunge<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions-on-business-funding\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently\u00a0asked\u00a0questions on business funding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785944167176\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How can I start a business when I have no money?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You can\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/start-a-business-no-money\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">start a business with little or no money<\/a>\u00a0by keeping your idea lean, using free or low-cost tools, working from home where possible,\u00a0and restricting early spending to essentials only. You may also be able to use pre-orders, crowdfunding, grants, a startup loan,\u00a0or support from family and friends to cover your early costs. Before applying for funding, create a simple business plan and work out the\u00a0minimum\u00a0amount you need to launch safely.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785944176681\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How hard is it to get funding for a startup?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Getting funding for a startup can be challenging, especially if your business is very new, has no trading history,\u00a0or does not yet have predictable income. Lenders and investors usually want to see that your idea is\u00a0viable, that you understand your market,\u00a0and that you have realistic financial projections. You can improve your chances by preparing a strong business plan, checking your credit history, explaining exactly how the money will be\u00a0used,\u00a0and choosing a funding route that fits your stage of business.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785944186712\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Is it true that 90% of small businesses fail?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The claim that 90% of small businesses fail is often repeated, but it is too simplistic. Failure rates vary depending on the country, industry,\u00a0time period,\u00a0and how \u201cfailure\u201d is measured. In the UK, official\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/businessindustryandtrade\/business\/activitysizeandlocation\/bulletins\/businessdemography\/2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ONS data for 2024<\/a>\u00a0showed that 38.4% of businesses born in 2019 were still active five years later, which is closer to a 60% failure rate. However, the ONS report highlights that the reasons for failure are highly variable. Careful planning, cash flow\u00a0management,\u00a0and realistic funding decisions can all improve your chances of long-term survival.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785944203717\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How long does it take for a startup to break even?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">There is no fixed timeline for when a startup will break even. Some businesses can cover their costs within a few months, while others may take several years, especially if they need to invest heavily in premises, stock,\u00a0equipment,\u00a0or staff before generating steady income. Your break-even point depends on your startup costs, pricing, profit margins, sales\u00a0volume,\u00a0and ongoing expenses. Creating realistic financial projections can help you estimate how long it might take and how much funding\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0need before the business becomes self-sustaining.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-finances\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness finances\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-support\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness support\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/start-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to start a business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-16041 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-cash-flow tag-freelancers business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Man working on laptop at desk and looking at business priorities\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-17T12:27:57+01:00\">17 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">5 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/invoice-tips-round-up-paid-on-time\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tInvoice tips round-up: Essential advice to help you get paid on time\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tWe&#8217;ve compiled some resources to help with your invoice processes, including how to create an invoice and a set of free invoice templates.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-8483 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-free-guides-templates category-strategy-legal-operations tag-freelancers tag-start-business business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/set-up-side-hustle-full-time\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/01\/GettyImages-594383123-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/01\/GettyImages-594383123-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/01\/GettyImages-594383123-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/01\/GettyImages-594383123-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M11.988 2.989a.75.75 0 0 0-.739.761v10.689l-1.72-1.72a.75.75 0 0 0-.957-.099.75.75 0 0 0-.315.776c.031.146.104.28.211.384l3 3a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06 0l3-3a.76.76 0 0 0 .231-.533.74.74 0 0 0-.22-.538q-.108-.106-.247-.164c-.139-.058-.191-.057-.291-.056s-.198.022-.29.061-.174.097-.243.169l-1.72 1.72V3.75a.76.76 0 0 0-.22-.541.76.76 0 0 0-.542-.22zM5.75 8.5C4.24 8.5 3 9.74 3 11.25v7C3 19.76 4.24 21 5.75 21h12.5c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75v-7c0-1.51-1.24-2.75-2.75-2.75h-3a.76.76 0 0 0-.537.216.74.74 0 0 0-.223.535.76.76 0 0 0 .223.535.74.74 0 0 0 .537.216h3c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v7a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25H5.75a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25-1.25v-7c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25h3a.76.76 0 0 0 .537-.216.74.74 0 0 0 .223-.535.76.76 0 0 0-.223-.535.75.75 0 0 0-.537-.216z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-17T12:27:18+01:00\">17 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">1 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to set up a side hustle&#8230; and take it full time\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-5340 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-freelancers tag-start-business tag-tax business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/manage-your-accounts-sole-trader\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/12\/GettyImages-645425511_super-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/12\/GettyImages-645425511_super-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/12\/GettyImages-645425511_super-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/12\/GettyImages-645425511_super-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-14T15:44:07+01:00\">14 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to manage your accounts and bookkeeping as a sole trader\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-2229 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-cash-flow tag-freelancers tag-start-business tag-make-receive-payments tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-basic-business-accounting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-14T15:43:42+01:00\">14 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">18 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThe ultimate guide to small business accounting and bookkeeping\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-8984 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-freelancers tag-start-business business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/small-business-administration-easy-guide\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/iStock-495467994-1-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/iStock-495467994-1-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/iStock-495467994-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/iStock-495467994-1-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-14T15:42:39+01:00\">14 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tSmall business administration: Your easy guide to managing your admin\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ready to put more into your business, but unsure how to finance it? If your personal savings aren\u2019t enough, you can resort to loans, grants, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, or investment from venture capital firms or even from friends. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":346,"featured_media":9422,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"6","sage_membership_post_content_type":"article","sage_membership_post_featured_video_id":"","sage_membership_post_video_type":"trailer","sage_membership_post_featured_video_duration":"","post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[135,124,12],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[73,75],"imagine_tag":[109],"coauthors":[353],"class_list":["post-9464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-business-finances","tag-business-support","tag-start-business","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Stacey McIntosh","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/DSC0267_All-Uses.jpg","imagine_tags":{"109":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/346"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9464"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31766,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9464\/revisions\/31766"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/9422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=9464"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}