This funding is managed by UMi Debt Finance Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government and provides loans of £25,000 to £250,000 to eligible businesses.

It is part of the Scottish Growth Scheme, a package of financial support of up to £500 million for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland. The scheme is backed by the Scottish Government and aims to help businesses grow.

Loans can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

• working capital
• capital expenditure
• growth funding

To be eligible for a business loan of up to £250,000 from UMi Debt Finance Scotland, businesses must:

• be a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME), external link which will open in a new window
• have a borrowing proposal which the lender would consider viable, were it not for the current pandemic
• have a viable business plan which demonstrates that you can pay back the loan and how the requested funding will help grow or secure (in the case of liquidity loans) your business
• be based in Scotland or ready to relocate to Scotland (and be located in Scotland before any loan financing is made available)

UMi Debt Finance Scotland is not sector-specific and businesses in a variety of sectors have already been supported under the fund. However, certain sectors may still be restricted.

There is no cost to apply.

Startups and SMEs based in Scotland.

This will depend on the nature of your loan request and the review process. UMi Debt Finance Scotland will evaluate your application and makes the lending decision within 20 business days from receiving all required information.

Advice and support for SMEs seeking to access finance is available from Business Gateway. Financial readiness support is also available from Scottish Enterprise, including in the Highlands and Islands area.

Visit the UMi Debt Finance Scotland website for more information and to apply.