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Business start-up and finance

Our latest features, books, articles and guides on sources of business finance and support for business start-ups.
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Latest on business start-up and finance

Read our latest features and articles on business start-up and finance.
Government urged to replace Recovery Loan Scheme
  • Article
  • 14 Jul 2022
Access to finance is needed as economic factors including growing inflation, rising fuel and raw materials costs, and wage inflation are in danger of pushing many businesses to breaking point.
PAC slams BEIS for ‘open goal to fraudsters and embezzlers’
  • Article
  • 17 May 2022
The Public Accounts Committee says there was insufficient effort to prevent fraud and error in the distribution of business support grants and loans, adding ‘billions and billions to taxpayer woes’
Treasury invites views on reforming UK capital allowance regime
  • Article
  • 11 May 2022
Chancellor Rishi Sunak wants businesses “to have their say” in how investment taxes should be reformed to “drive and sustain growth in the UK.”
ICAEW: “insufficient” fraud prevention for COVID-19 grants
  • Article
  • 29 Apr 2022
ICAEW calls for the government to learn from COVID-19 business support grants by investing in BEIS’s counter-fraud capability and addressing the assurance gap in grants distributed through local authorities.
From fossil fuel to low-carbon future
  • Article
  • 06 Apr 2022
The transition to net zero is a potential existential threat for businesses such as Hellenic Petroleum, but the company’s CEO is intent on turning the challenge into a growth opportunity.
Pushing back on Bounce Back loan fraud
  • Article
  • 06 Apr 2022
ICAEW’s Emily Seiorse and Alex Russell describe a common scenario around fraud in COVID-19 support schemes, and explain how auditors can maximise the likelihood of fraud detection.
December public finances: rising debt interest costs offset higher tax revenues
  • Article
  • 25 Jan 2022
December’s deficit of £16.8bn saw both a rise in tax revenues and in interest on inflation-linked debt as pressure grows on the Chancellor to address energy price hikes and rising prices in the shops.
Deloitte: UK CFOs going for growth
  • Article
  • 11 Jan 2022
Deloitte’s latest quarterly CFO Survey reveals investment in technology and skills as key priorities for growth, innovation and resilience.
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Topics in depth

Man in office
Business finance and grants
Our latest features, books, articles and guides on sources of business finance and grants.
Woman working in flower shop
Business start-up
Our latest features, books, articles and guides on all aspects of starting a business.
Teamwork groups inclusive
Community benefit societies and community interest companies
Resources on community benefit societies (BenComs) and community interest companies (CICs).
Diverse office workers
Employee ownership
Online articles, guides and books to help you identify best practice.
Female colleagues at desk
Family businesses
Articles, books and online resources on issues specific to family-run businesses.
Hands holding plant
Growing your business
Resources to help you grow and develop your business.
Meeting with external colleagues
Succession planning
Learn about exit strategies and getting the timing right with our selection of articles, books, links and guides.

ICAEW advice, guides and reports

Access to finance: supporting small businesses
  • Hub page
  • 2021
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, ICAEW Insights examines the finance options and support available to small and growing UK companies, and the entrepreneurs behind them.
ICAEW BAS
  • Promotional material
  • 2020
ICAEW’s Business Advice Service puts small and medium business owners in touch with both ICAEW members or regulated ICAEW member firms who can provide a free initial consultation, without obligation, to discuss any business issues the owners are facing.
The Business Finance Guide
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 2016
This independent guide draws on the expertise of partners from across the finance industry and business community to provide information on the financing options that may be available to entrepreneurs, startups and businesses at every stage of development.
Exclusive Special report - Growing your business
  • Report
  • 2014
This report is primarily aimed at smaller businesses seeking to grow and develop and to achieve their full potential through practical guidance and advice.
Starting your business
  • Article
  • 2014
You’ve taken the plunge and decided to start trading. The first few months spent getting the business up and running are likely to be very hectic. So before getting the business off the ground, it pays to get all the necessary administrative chores out the way.
More reports

Webinars

Tax year end, Bounce Back Loans and cryptocurrency
  • Podcast
  • 23 Jun 2021
ICAEW’s Philippa Kelly and Lindsey Wicks and PwC’s Mike Jervis join host Tom Herbert to discuss the potential moving of tax year end, Bounce Back Loan repayment options, business restructuring and cryptocurrency.
Disruptors, innovators, start-ups - exploring roles for accountants
  • Webinar
  • 22 Mar 2021
Considering making a move from a practice or established corporate world into a start-up, or exploring expanding your portfolio into this space? Hear insights and experience from our panel of speakers.
How to network your way to success
  • Webinar
  • 13 May 2020
Key insights and techniques to aid those who want to thrive and grow through the simple art of talking to people.
More webinars

eBooks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.

Exclusive Business start up bundle for dummies
  • 2020
  • Colin Barrow
  • John Wiley & Sons
A one stop shop to all your business start-up needs! Covers everything budding entrepreneurs need to know to get their business up and running. Whether readers are just starting out, planning a new venture, setting up at home or extending a current business online, this book is all they need to succeed.
Exclusive Digital finance: big data, start-ups, and the future of financial services
  • 2019
  • Perry H. Beaumont
  • Routledge
This book takes a thoughtful look at how the digital finance industry is evolving. It explains how to integrate digital finance concepts into existing traditional finance platforms and explores what successful companies are doing to maximize their opportunities in this context.
Exclusive Financial Times guide to business start up 2017/18
  • 2016
  • Sara Williams
  • FT Publishing International
Startup guide for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Exclusive Starting a successful business
  • 2011
  • M. J. Morris
  • Kogan Page
Step-by-step guide to starting and running a small business.
Exclusive Consultant's quick start guide: an action plan for your first year in business, The
  • 2009
  • Elaine Blech
  • Pfeiffer
A guide to working as a consultant from a US perspective.
Exclusive Essential business finance: a complete guide to starting, expanding and selling your business
  • 2009
  • Paul Barrow
  • Kogan Page
An introduction to finance aimed at the average business manager.
Exclusive Good small business guide: how to start and grow your own business
  • 2006
  • Meredith Belbin
  • Bloomsbury
A practical guide for anyone interested in starting a business.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

More eBooks

Legal Alert

Legal Alert is a monthly checklist from Atom Content Marketing highlighting new and pending laws, regulations, codes of practice and rulings that could have an impact on your business.
Case law: Commercial funder that funds losing litigation can be ordered to pay all the legal costs awarded to the winning side, even if the costs exceed the amount provided as funding
  • Article
  • 01 Apr 2020
Parties contemplating litigation funded by a commercial third party funder should consider whether, if they lose, the funder may be required to pay all the legal costs awarded to the winning side or not. If not, they may have a liability to make up the balance themselves.
Case law: Dismissal of employee charged with criminal offence was fair, even though the matter had not yet gone to trial
  • Article
  • 01 Apr 2020
Employers faced with an employee who has been charged with a criminal offence, but who has not yet gone to trial and been found guilty, should ensure they carry out their own investigations before dismissing the employee, to avoid an unfair dismissal claim.
Case law: Supreme Court agrees it is not discriminatory to pay fathers on shared parental leave less than mothers on maternity leave – at least if the shared parental leave is only for 14 weeks
  • Article
  • 01 Apr 2020
Employers offering enhanced contractual maternity pay to mothers are not guilty of direct or indirect discrimination, and are not breaching equal pay rules, if they fail to give enhanced pay to fathers taking shared parental leave as well, the Supreme Court has confirmed.
Case law: Employer who avoided giving true reasons for rejecting job applicant in order to be polite was guilty of age discrimination
  • Article
  • 01 Apr 2020
Employers interviewing job applicants should keep comprehensive records explaining why they (accept or) reject them, and should not skirt around those reasons when communicating with applicants in an attempt to be polite, a recent legal ruling makes clear.
Case law: Court clarifies standard required where lease contains an obligation to keep property in repair
  • Article
  • 01 Apr 2020
Landlords and tenants of properties will welcome clarification from the court on the standard required under repairing obligations in leases. They should start planning and negotiating in good time before any obligation takes effect, to ensure that the repairs satisfy the requirements of the lease and are carried out in time.
Case law: Employee who lied on his CV convicted of fraud and given suspended prison sentence
  • Article
  • 01 Apr 2020
Employers should consider requiring job applicants to provide proof of the qualifications stated on their CVs, proportionate to the risks inherent in the job – for example, imposing stricter requirements where the role is senior and highly-paid and/or involves working with vulnerable people such as children - following a recent case in which an employee was convicted of fraud for lying on his CV.
Disclaimer

These articles from Atom Content Marketing are for general guidance only, for businesses in the United Kingdom governed by the laws of England. Atom Content Marketing, expert contributors and ICAEW (as distributor) disclaim all liability for any errors or omissions.

More alerts

Business press

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive A 'radical' market data approach to startup valuations
  • Article
  • Apr 2022
  • Business Valuation Update
Valuation professional Michael Blake has issued a challenge to appraisers of early-stage companies: add rationality to valuing startups by relying more heavily on market inputs. The article covers some of the non-standard sources of market data recommended by Blake for valuing startups.
Exclusive The strategic risks facing start-ups in the financial sector
  • Article
  • Mar 2022
  • Patrick McConnell
  • Journal of Risk Management in Financial Institutions
The majority of start-ups fail. But some succeed, and a very small number succeed spectacularly. However they all face enormous risks.
Exclusive Show us the money: A guide to raising capital
  • Article
  • Feb 2022
  • Glenn Baker
  • NZ Business and Management
Securing investor funding is the key to accelerating business growth, particularly for fledging ventures. NZ Business magazine shares advice from three of New Zealand's leading funding platforms, including tips on preparing for an equity crowdfunding campaign. As well as venture capital, an emerging alternative is 'venture-debt'.
Exclusive Rethinking how to grow a small business
  • Article
  • Jan 2022
  • Christopher Johnson
  • Strategic Finance
The right finance strategies will help your business be more resilient in the face of challenging market conditions. Christopher Johnson notes some possible adjustments, including rethinking your working capital, protecting cash flow, diversifying your sources of lending, asking your lender the right questions and considering equipment financing.
Exclusive Costs and benefits of start-up funding
  • Article
  • Nov 2021
  • Miguel Fernandez
  • Strategic Finance
A look at the financing options available (and pitfalls to avoid) for start-ups and midsize companies, including venture equity, corporate venture capital, venture debt and angel investors. A list of questions to ask when vetting potential investors is given.
Exclusive Google shuts London startup hub as firms embrace home working
  • Article
  • Jun 2021
  • Jack Sidders
  • Bloomberg
Google's parent company Alphabet Inc has announced it will close its seven-story Shoreditch base offering help to startups, replacing it with online support programs and services.

Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection

The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes a range of articles, books and reports on starting a business. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Financial management for technology start-ups: a handbook for growth
  • Library book
  • 2017
  • A.Bhimani
  • Kogan Page
A book to help you with the specific know-how required to successfully manage costs, track profit opportunities and monetize your tech start-up.

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.

External resources - Funding sources

Alternative Business Funding
  • Alternative Business Funding
A matchmaking service for small businesses and alternative finance providers.
British Business Bank
  • British Business Bank
An economic development bank launched in 2013 to create more effective finance markets for smaller businesses in the UK.
ByteStart - Finance
  • Bytestart Limited
The Finance section of the ByteStart website has a range of articles outlining the different types of funding businesses can call on, such as bank loans, business angels and crowdfunding.
Enterprise Europe Network
  • Enterprise Europe Network
The Enterprise Europe Network helps small businesses develop into new markets, source or license new technologies and access EU finance and funding.
European Investment Fund
  • European Investment Fund
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is involved in a number of initiatives to promote regional business development.
Finance and support for your business
  • GOV.UK
List of publicly-backed finance or business support schemes. With hundreds of schemes available, this is a good starting point to find out which ones you are eligible for and which suit your needs.
Good Finance
  • Good Finance
A UK website aimed at charities and social enterprises. It provides information and advice on locating socially responsible sources of finance.
Start-up loans
  • GOV.UK
A government funded scheme to provide loans and mentors for entrepreneurs. As well as start-up finance the scheme offers coaching to applicants to prepare for the pitch for the loan, help prepare a business plan and mentoring for a period after the loan has been received.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

External resources - Business guides

Creating a valuable business
  • Atom Content Marketing
A LawDonut guide to making strategic decisions that can help create and maintain a valuable business. Running a business often involves reacting to circumstances, making minor decisions that have a limited, short-term impact. In contrast, creating a valuable business is about taking strategic decisions that have a lasting effect.
Essential guide to financing your start-up business
  • Atom Content Marketing
The right start-up financing gives your new business a solid financial base. It makes sure you have the funding to cover your short-term needs and to make the most of opportunities to grow.
Increasing productivity
  • Atom Content Marketing
Building long-term profitability allows you to grow your business and your own personal rewards from it. Creating and increasing profitability depends on doing many little things better than the competition.
Role of the company secretary
  • Atom Content Marketing
An outline of the role and responsibilities of the company secretary from the Law Donut
Source green suppliers and equipment
  • Atom Content Marketing
Opportunities to source your business supplies, raw materials or finished goods from environmentally-friendly suppliers are increasing. Benefits can include getting the edge on the competition, cost savings and tax breaks, better prospects with lenders and investors, and a boost to your firm’s marketing.
Strategic acquisitions
  • Atom Content Marketing
An acquisition could increase the size and profitability of your business overnight. But an acquisition can also bring problems, draining financial and management resources from your original business.
Your money and your business
  • Atom Content Marketing
As the owner-manager of a small or medium enterprise, your own financial affairs are likely to be closely entwined with the way you run your business.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

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