Funding options for your business

Finding government grants

How to search for and apply for government grants, subsidies, and financial support for your business.

UK-wide
Guide summary

Search for government grants using GOV.UK Find a Grant. Check eligibility criteria and prepare your application with match funding. Keep track of subsidies received in the last 3 years.

  • Search GOV.UK Find a Grant — over 100 schemes listed
  • Check local authority and sector-specific grants
  • Prepare match funding — typically 30% to 70% of costs
  • Grants under £315,000 in 3 years may not need full assessment
  • Read eligibility carefully — location, sector, business size
  • Apply early — grants are competitive
  • Keep records of all subsidies received
On this page
UK-wide

Related guides in Tax & Finance

Where to search for grants

Use the GOV.UK Find a Grant service to search over 100 government grant schemes. Create an account using GOV.UK One Login to save searches, track applications, and get email alerts when new grants are added.

Also check:

  • Local authority grants — your council may offer business rates relief, premises grants, or local growth funding
  • Innovate UK — for research and development grants (typically £25,000 to £2 million+)
  • UK Shared Prosperity Fund — local-level investment in communities, businesses, and skills

Types of grants

  • Capital grants — buy equipment, fit out premises, or fund physical assets. Usually require match funding (you contribute 30% to 70% of costs)
  • Revenue grants — cover running costs like training, consultancy, or marketing. Less common and usually time-limited
  • R&D grants — fund innovation and product development. Often through competitions with set application windows
  • Sector-specific grants — target particular industries (clean energy, agriculture, creative, digital). Check if your sector has dedicated funding streams

Check eligibility before you apply

Most grants have specific criteria. Check these before investing time in an application:

  • Location — many grants are region-specific or restricted to certain local authority areas
  • Sector — some grants target specific industries or activities
  • Business size — most grants target SMEs (under 250 employees). Some are for micro businesses only
  • Business age — some grants require a trading history, others target startups
  • Use of funds — grants specify what you can and cannot spend money on
  • Match funding — many grants require you to contribute a percentage of the total project cost from your own funds

Subsidy control rules

The Subsidy Control Act 2022 replaced EU state aid rules from January 2023. Most SME grants fall under the Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) exemption.

Under MFA, your business can receive up to £315,000 in total government subsidies over any rolling 3-year period (the current financial year plus the 2 preceding years) without triggering full subsidy control assessment.

Grant-awarding bodies must check your cumulative subsidy total. You may be asked to declare any other public subsidies you have received in the past 3 years.

GOV.UK Find a Grant
Over 100 grant schemes listed, with more added regularly
MFA subsidy threshold
£315,000 over 3 financial years (Subsidy Control Act 2022)
MFA transparency threshold
Individual awards over £100,000 must be published on the UK subsidy database
Typical match funding
30% to 70% of project costs from your own funds
  1. 1

    Search GOV.UK Find a Grant

    Create a GOV.UK One Login account. Search by sector, location, and business size. Set up email alerts for new schemes.

  2. 2

    Check devolved nation portals

    If you are in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, search the dedicated portals for your nation as well as the UK-wide GOV.UK service.

  3. 3

    Contact your local authority

    Ask about local business grants, rates relief, and growth funding. Many councils run small grant schemes not listed on national portals.

  4. 4

    Read eligibility criteria carefully

    Check location, sector, size, and match funding requirements before starting an application. Contact the grant provider if anything is unclear.

  5. 5

    Prepare your application

    Gather financial accounts, a project plan showing how you will use the grant, and evidence of match funding. Strong applications show clear outcomes and value for money.

  6. 6

    Declare previous subsidies

    List any government grants, subsidies, or state-backed support received in the past 3 financial years. This is needed for subsidy control compliance.

Grant search portals

Use these services to search for available grants.