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Business finance and grants articles

Read our latest features and articles on business finance and grants.
Displaying 1-30 of 70 results
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Small Business Plan: practical resources for businesses
  • Article
  • 13 Aug 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Outside of the plans to tackle late payments, the government’s Small Business Plan outlines a number of support measures for small businesses.
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Debt finance education key to boosting SME uptake
  • Article
  • 20 May 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW’s response to the government’s call for evidence on small business access to finance also highlights concerns about cost, time and red tape as stalling uptake of debt finance.
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How to raise finance to scale up your business
  • Article
  • 28 Apr 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
From start-up to scale-up: understanding the expectations of lenders and funders and getting your financial ducks in a row will oil the cogs for raising finance.
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ICAEW outlines effective grant management for government entities
  • Article
  • 09 Dec 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Grant-paying government entities could save £1.9bn through effective grant management. A new ICAEW helpsheet offers advice on designing a grants assurance framework and highlights some of the main pitfalls to avoid.
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What’s next for LEPs and growth hubs?
  • Article
  • 05 Aug 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Local enterprise partnerships’ functions were transferred to local authorities in April 2024. What role will they play now?
National Wealth Fund to unlock green and growth investment
  • Article
  • 15 Jul 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Fund will bring together UK Infrastructure Bank and the British Business Bank to unlock billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s green and growth industries, government says.
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British Business Bank launches Recovery Loan Scheme successor
  • Article
  • 12 Jul 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Running until 31 March 2026, the new Growth Guarantee Scheme aims to support small businesses by offering loans of up to £2m, with 70% government-backed guarantees.
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The secret to accessing early-stage investment
  • Article
  • 22 May 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
With a lending market changed by high interest rates and a proliferation of technology, we look at what start-ups can do to increase their chances of attracting venture capital investment.
New AI training fund now open for applications
  • Article
  • 07 May 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Accountancy firms can now apply for a grant from a government £6.4m funding pot to help staff at small and medium sized UK businesses boost their artificial intelligence (AI) skills.
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Chart of the week: Pre-Budget deficit forecast
  • Article
  • 29 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
While tax cuts will likely headline next week’s Spring Budget, debt markets will be questioning plans to reduce the deficit by constraining public spending.
Next government must act to renew UK economy, says ICAEW
  • Article
  • 07 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW has outlined the actions needed to boost productivity and ensure the UK economy is resilient in future. ICAEW’s Manifesto calls for the revitalisation of support for start-ups, improved access to labour and a simplified, digital tax system.
Bounce Back Loan data pilot examines sole trader fraud
  • Article
  • 17 Jan 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The government is setting its sights on unincorporated businesses that fraudulently took out Bounce Back Loans during the pandemic.
ICAEW celebrates excellence in corporate finance
  • Article
  • 10 Nov 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
AstraZeneca scoops ICAEW award as annual corporate finance reception plays host to Economic Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Griffith and British Business Bank Chair Stephen Welton.
UK government responds to Treasury Committee venture capital reliefs report
  • Article
  • 25 Oct 2023
  • ICAEW
The response suggests that the current sunset clauses for the enterprise investment scheme (EIS) and venture capital trusts (VCTs) will be extended beyond 2025. However, the response also pushes back on some of the committee’s other recommendations, including extending the company age and funding limits for these schemes.
Commons Treasury Committee calls for greater diversity of venture capital investment
  • Article
  • 09 Aug 2023
  • ICAEW
The House of Commons Treasury Committee’s report into venture capital investment schemes recommends better support for female-led businesses and those outside the South East of England.
How the British Business Bank puts purpose first
  • Article
  • 26 May 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
New CEO Louis Taylor explains how the British Business Bank is increasing the focus on delivering growth to the UK.
Access to finance: alternatives to high street banks
  • Article
  • 25 May 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
Traditional banks’ enthusiasm for business lending may be muted, but at a time when the UK economy is hungry for growth, there are still other finance options for companies to explore.
UK interest rates rise to 4.5% as UK outlook upgraded
  • Article
  • 11 May 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
Bank of England has announced the twelfth successive increase in borrowing costs and no longer expects the UK to fall into recession.
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Corporate insolvencies soar to highest level in three years
  • Article
  • 02 May 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
High borrowing costs and inflation are weighing heavily on businesses, official figures suggest.
NAO highlights COVID-19 business support counter-fraud failures
  • Article
  • 23 Mar 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
The government should use lessons learned from the COVID-19 business grant schemes to improve contingency planning and build resilience for responding to future national emergencies, spending watchdog concludes.
Government’s ‘Scale-Up Britain’ ambition under the spotlight
  • Article
  • 27 Feb 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
Is the government’s bold vision for a UK Silicon Valley at odds with how start-ups and scale-ups are being managed at policy level?
EY reveals support strategy to boost fintech start-ups
  • Article
  • 13 Feb 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
With explosive growth forecast for the fintech sector, we meet Mark Jannetta, the head of EY’s UK FinTech Lab, to find out how the Big Four firm is looking to help start-up fintechs get to the next stage.
Interest rates rise to 4% but shallower recession predicted
  • Article
  • 02 Feb 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
The Bank of England announces 10th successive increase in borrowing costs – but forecasts that the expected UK recession will be shallower and shorter than previously expected.
How rocky is the road ahead for businesses?
  • Article
  • 26 Jan 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
Bulging borrowing costs, balance sheet fluctuations and ongoing uncertainty call for caution, common sense and acute risk awareness in the year ahead, says insolvency and restructuring doyen Nick Hood.
Report highlights local authority procurement weakness
  • Article
  • 17 Jan 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
Inefficiencies, poor processes and skills issues present potentially significant risks to public money and service, Grant Thornton warns.
Debt finance now at most expensive since 2009
  • Article
  • 09 Jan 2023
  • ICAEW Insights
Businesses may be facing a multitude of challenges, but CFOs’ concerns over the macroeconomic outlook are easing, according to new research.
ICAEW pays tribute to Lord Young
  • Article
  • 15 Dec 2022
  • ICAEW Insights
The architect of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Start Up Loans Scheme, which have been instrumental in providing funding to thousands of fledgling businesses, has died aged 90.
Changes for Limited Partnerships on the horizon
  • Article
  • 13 Dec 2022
  • ICAEW Insights
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill’s requirements for Limited Partnerships could affect many private fund managers. George Metcalfe, a partner at law firm Freeths, explains what the proposed changes mean in practice.
MPs call for end to competitive bidding for local authority funding
  • Article
  • 16 Nov 2022
  • ICAEW Insights
A major report by the Public and Constitutional Affairs Committee describes governance and funding arrangements for local government in England “ineffective”.
Could insurance face an innovation crisis?
  • Article
  • 15 Aug 2022
  • ICAEW Insights
The insurtech sector is facing a credibility crisis due to rising rates and mounting losses, and only the strongest and most adaptable will survive.
Displaying 1-30 of 70 results
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