Small business grants: who runs them in each UK nation

What to take away

England: Innovate UK, British Business Bank, Growth Hubs and councils

England is the gap in most comparisons. No English body matches Scottish Enterprise or Invest NI, so four routes fill the space.

Innovate UK runs national innovation competitions. The British Business Bank funds loans and investment, and its Start Up Loans programme lends to new and early-stage businesses. Growth Hubs give free diagnostics and signposting. Made Smarter supports manufacturing firms adopting digital technology. Councils and mayoral authorities run capital and skills grants.

Eligibility for the local schemes turns on project location. A Manchester business usually qualifies for Greater Manchester schemes only. Growth Hub advice is free, but the grant is not.

The stages follow a predictable order:

The Business finance support finder filters schemes by stage, sector and location, which is quicker than checking each council site.

Our guide to how small business grants in England are organised explains how each route tests value.

Innovate UK competitions open to all four nations

Innovate UK is the UK's innovation agency, and its funding is not devolved. Companies in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Birmingham enter the same competitions on the same terms.

Smart Grants are the main entry point for small firms, funding research and development with a route to commercialisation. Each competition publishes its scope, budget and deadline in advance.

The Innovate UK funding guidance for applicants sets out assessment criteria and how bids are marked.

Intervention rates are published by company size. Small enterprises can receive up to 70% of eligible project costs. Medium and large firms receive less.

Stages are fixed: register on the Innovation Funding Service, complete the form, submit before the deadline, then await expert assessment. Successful applicants receive a grant offer letter and claim costs in arrears.

Our guide to writing an Innovate UK Smart Grants application covers structure and evidence.

Scotland: Scottish Enterprise and account-managed grants

Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's development agency, and it works through a named account manager. You start with a conversation, not a portal. Its most established grant is Regional Selective Assistance, which supports capital investment and job creation, alongside innovation and research and development support for account-managed firms. Eligibility requires the business or project to be in Scotland, plus evidence of activity that would not happen without the grant. Match funding is expected.

Wales: Business Wales and the deadweight test

Business Wales delivers Welsh Government support under strict eligibility tests. Its Accelerated Growth Programme supports firms with growth plans, alongside capital investment and research and development support. The business or project must be in Wales, you must be a small or medium-sized enterprise, and some schemes are sector-restricted. A deadweight test asks whether the project would proceed without the grant. Applications run from an enquiry to an expression of interest, then a full application if invited.

Northern Ireland: Invest NI and the become-a-client route

Invest NI grants are not open to any applicant. You become a client first by showing growth potential, then apply to named programmes including Grant for R&D, Innovation Vouchers and capital investment support. Stages run from enquiry to client assessment, appraisal and a letter of offer, and match funding applies.

Match funding and application stages

Every route here expects part funding, and the rate comes from the individual scheme rather than the nation, so confirm the current rate in the scheme guidance before you plan your budget. All four systems sit under the Subsidy Control Act 2022, which sets the competition principles each nation applies, with the Competition and Markets Authority advising public bodies on how those rules are applied.

Timelines differ too. Innovate UK publishes a decision date in each competition brief. Devolved agency routes are appraisal-led, so allow time for due diligence before an offer. English routes vary by combined authority, as our comparison of growth hub grants in Leeds and Liverpool shows.

Common questions

These come up from founders in every nation, so the answers apply whichever agency you approach.

How much match funding do I need?

Innovate UK publishes up to 70% for small enterprises on research and development competitions. Devolved agency grants are discretionary, so the rate varies by scheme and you should check the current guidance.

Can I apply for a grant for a second site in another nation?

Usually yes, but each site is judged against that nation's rules. A Scottish site falls under Scottish Enterprise criteria even when the head office sits in England.

Are the application stages the same everywhere?

No. Innovate UK and English local schemes use application forms. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland usually begin with a conversation and an eligibility or client assessment.