Rules and ethics
Part of Small business grants rules and ethics: compliance checks
Small business grants advertising rules: what an advert must prove
Check advertising for business grants and grant services in England for evidence, clear qualifications, sponsorship labels and accurate deadlines.
Advertising for a grant or grant-advisory service should let a business understand the important conditions before it acts. A prominent promise cannot be repaired by contradictory small print.
This checklist is general editorial guidance, not a ruling on whether a particular communication falls within the CAP Code or other law.
What to take away
- A prominent promise cannot be repaired by contradictory small print, so conditions must be clear upfront.
- State whether a funding figure is a maximum, fixed award, range or contribution rate.
- Do not guarantee an independent funder's decision or imply every applicant receives the maximum.
- Put decisive conditions before requesting detailed personal data on a landing page.
- Record misunderstandings and change the main presentation where the issue is material.
Identity and status
- Name the funder, programme and commercial advertiser accurately.
- Distinguish a public scheme from an adviser, directory or supplier.
- Do not claim government approval without a current official record.
- Label paid placement, affiliate relationships and sponsorship clearly.
The ASA and CAP influencer resource hub explains disclosure responsibilities for brands, agencies and creators where social content is advertising.
Grant advertising rules in the CAP Code apply across the UK. The funder and official record differ by nation. In England, a scheme may be run by a government department, a local authority or a Growth Hub.
In Scotland check Business Gateway or Scottish Enterprise, in Wales check Business Wales, and in Northern Ireland check Invest NI. An advert must name the correct body for the nation it targets.
Funding claim
- State whether the figure is a maximum, fixed award, range or contribution rate.
- Include material applicant, location and project restrictions.
- Explain match funding and reimbursement where these affect the offer.
- Do not call repayable finance a grant.
- Do not imply that every applicant receives the maximum.
Section 3 of the CAP Code says marketers should hold documentary evidence for objective claims and must not omit significant limitations and qualifications.
Funding claim evidence
- Say if figure is maximum, fixed, range or rate
- Include applicant, location and project restrictions
- Explain match funding and reimbursement
- Never call repayable finance a grant
- Do not imply everyone gets the maximum
Success claims
- Do not guarantee an independent funder's decision.
- Define the denominator, period and exclusions behind a success rate.
- Separate submitted, eligible, approved, accepted and paid awards.
- Keep client testimonials accurate and disclose incentives.
- Remove a claim that cannot be reproduced from records.
Timing and availability
- Verify the opening and closing date on the funder's page.
- Give the closing time and time zone where material.
- Remove or label closed opportunities promptly.
- Do not manufacture urgency through an unrelated countdown.
Landing page and form
- Put decisive conditions before a request for detailed personal data.
- Link to the official scheme record.
- Explain who will contact the user and why.
- Keep marketing consent separate where required.
- Provide a clear privacy notice.
The ICO's direct marketing guidance explains planning, lawful basis, collection and people's right to object. Communications and subscriber types require their own assessment.
Who enforces the rules
The ASA enforces the CAP Code for non-broadcast advertising. If an advert breaches the Code, the ASA can require it to be amended or withdrawn and publish its ruling. Persistent breaches can be referred to Trading Standards.
The ICO enforces data protection law for marketing consent and personal data. It can issue fines or enforcement notices. The CAP Code and the ICO's guidance are the sources readers should check.
For example, the ASA has upheld complaints against adverts that described commercial grant-finding services as government grants. Check the ASA rulings database for the specific case and outcome.
Final review and reader testing
Read the headline, image, call to action and qualification together. Ask what an ordinary reader is likely to understand before clicking. The ASA's qualification guidance explains that a qualification should clarify rather than contradict the main claim.
Give the advert and landing page to people who were not involved in writing them. Ask them to explain who provides the funding, who can apply, what the figure means, whether payment is guaranteed and what happens after the click. Do not ask whether the advert is "clear" and accept a yes or no answer.
Record misunderstandings and change the main presentation where the issue is material. A footnote is not a sound fix when readers take the opposite meaning from the headline.
Control versions and partners
Give every advert a version, source sheet, owner and withdrawal date. Partners and affiliates should use approved wording and a current link. Monitor published placements so expired deadlines or altered conditions do not remain live.
Keep records of substantiation, approval, audience, placement dates and commercial relationships. If a creator or publisher receives money, a free service or another benefit, review whether and how the relationship must be disclosed in that particular content.
Respond to a correction
Remove or amend a misleading advert promptly. Correct the landing page, partner copy and scheduled posts together. Preserve the previous version and document the reason for the change rather than quietly altering one channel.
Record the source, screenshot, approver and review date for each material statement.
Worked example: compliant versus non-compliant grant advert
The two adverts below are illustrative. The figures and dates are examples only.
Non-compliant advert
| Non-compliant advert | Why it fails |
|---|---|
| "Get up to £25,000 in government grant funding. 95% success rate. Apply today, limited time. Enter your details to check eligibility." | "Up to" suggests every applicant may receive £25,000. The success rate has no denominator, period or exclusions. "Government grant" does not name the funder or distinguish a commercial service. The urgent call to action manufactures pressure. It asks for personal data before stating conditions. |
Compliant advert
| Compliant advert | Why it works |
|---|---|
| "[Funder name] offers a maximum grant of £25,000. Typical awards are £5,000 to £15,000. Open to limited companies and charities registered in England. Match funding: 50% of project costs. Closing date: 30 September 2026 at 12:00 noon UK time. Eligibility conditions apply. Read the official scheme record before applying." | The advert names the funder, states the figure basis and gives a typical range. It sets out location, applicant and match funding conditions. It gives a closing time and time zone. It links the reader to the official record before asking for details. |
Common questions
What must an advert for grant help prove about its funding claim?
It must show the basis of the figure: maximum, fixed award, range or contribution rate. It must also flag applicant, location and project restrictions, and explain match funding or reimbursement. Repayable finance must be called a loan or other finance, not a grant. Do not imply every applicant receives the maximum.
How should success claims be handled in grant advertising?
Do not promise an independent funder's decision. Any success rate needs a defined denominator, period and exclusions. Distinguish submitted, eligible, approved, accepted and paid awards. Testimonials must be accurate and incentives disclosed. Drop claims you cannot reproduce.
What should a final review of a grant advert involve?
Read the headline, image, call to action and qualification as one message. Ask an uninvolved reader what they understand before clicking. A qualification must clarify, not contradict. Then test with readers and fix any misunderstanding in the main presentation.
