Director information hub: Loans and funding
Think carefully before you borrow money or seek new investors for your company.
- From:
The Insolvency ServicePublishedPublished:- 7 July 2023
- Last updated:
- 26 August 2026 — See all updates
ThinkingFinancing ofyour borrowing?company
Loans
LoansThere canare bemany usedways to startobtain orfinance growfor a company. AsThe amain company,ones youare:
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cansharesapplyinforyour company - funding
Loans
A loan is money that a start-upcompany loanborrows fromand themust government.
Directorsbe paid back, usually with interest. Loans can alsobe takeprovided loansby fromindividuals, theirbanks, companiespublic assector wellorganisations asor lendothers. moneyCompanies may use loans to thatstart company.or grow.
Before you borrowor money,the youcompany shouldtake out a loan, think carefully about what the money iswill be used for and if youthe company will be able to payrepay it. If the company cannot repay the loan the lender may ask the court to close it back.down, or take other action to recover the money.
EvenAs ifa yourdirector companyyou ismay forcedbe intoasked liquidation,to give a personal guarantee for a loan taken out by the company.
If you maypersonally havelend money to repayyour company and charge interest, you must comply with the tax rules. You must record any money you lend to the company in your director’s loansloan youaccount.
Selling took,shares in your company
Equity financing is a way of raising money by selling shares in your company to payexisting backshareholders creditors.or new investors.
Find out more about equity financing.
Funding
There is a range of government-backed funding and financing options for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
More aboutSome loans
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Updates to this page
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New content supplied by stakeholder - August 2026
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First published.