 Virgin StartUp has announced a £20 million allocation to support founders across the UK during the current financial year through the Start Up Loans programme. This marks the organisation's largest annual allocation since becoming a national partner of the British Business Bank in 2013.
The programme offers loans ranging from £500 to £25,000, with the average loan expected to be around £7,200. The finance is intended to support early-stage entrepreneurs, including individuals starting a business, developing a side venture or growing an enterprise that has been trading for up to five years. Eligible applicants must be aged 18 or over and based in the UK. New or expanding businesses that are less than one year old can also apply.
Funding can be used for a range of business purposes, including start-up costs, purchasing equipment, marketing activities and managing cashflow. In addition to financial support, successful applicants may receive mentoring and guidance and further resources provided by programme partners.
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If you’ve not already signed up to Business Academy then now is the time to do so. Business Academy’s live events and on-demand videos connect you with expert support and help you master new skills for your business. Grow your business with confidence – whether you’re starting out, scaling up, selling overseas, or sharpening your digital skills, we’ve got you covered.
Over 30,000 businesses across the UK are already accessing from their training. It’s completely free to join and takes only a few minutes to get started.
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 Enterprise Nation is a community of small businesses and advisers that can provide tailored mentoring against more than 60 thematic areas, you can select an adviser from your area and then connect with a free discovery call. Alongside this is a wealth of information to support your business growth via community blogs, e-learning, data insights, market research and analysis. Discover smarter ways of working with a free diagnostic tool designed for small business owners like you. Take your business into the digital age with tailored recommendations of apps and technology that can boost your productivity. You can join the Tech Hub community today and revolutionise the way you work.
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 Sign up to the Programme and access a range of business support and information – including bite-size webinars from Google, exploring practical AI tools to help grow your business; and a free personalised plan with practical ways to use AI in your business through Copilot Coach powered by Microsoft.
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 The National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates increased on 1 April 2026. You can find more information here
HMRC has a catalogue of free recorded webinars available, which you can watch at any time to help you avoid mistakes. They include information on topics such as 'salary sacrifice', 'working time', 'helping employers get things right', and 'common mistakes and how to spot them'. You can find these NMW/NLW webinars at the GoToStage link here
You can find a full catalogue of helpful videos on all things to do with with HMRC at their YouTube channel here
 Business Growth West Midlands has partnered with Swoop to help you to find, compare and select funding solutions.The Swoop platform simplifies and speeds-up access to funding for your business. The clever AI technology analyses every opportunity available, so that you can be matched with relevant funding solutions in a matter of seconds. But they’re not just a technology platform, they understand it can be a daunting and complex process, and their team of experts are readily available to help manage your application from beginning to end.
Swoop works with over 1,000 funding providers from mainstream banks, alternative lenders, venture capital funds, SEIS/EIS funds, angel investors and grant agencies, meaning that whatever your funding requirement, they’re able to offer a relevant matched solution in seconds.
For more information please click here
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