Tally

Explained simply

The Growth Guarantee Scheme, in plain English

Government-backed funding for UK businesses. The government guarantees 70% to the lender, so lenders can support more viable businesses.

  • 70% government-backed
  • £1,000 to £2M
  • Open until 2030
Check my eligibility
GGS in 15 seconds
  1. This is your business. It wants to grow.
  2. Growing takes money, so it asks a lender.
  3. But the lender is worried: what if it isn’t paid back?
  4. So the government makes a promise: “We’ll cover 70% of any loss.”
  5. Now the lender can say yes to more businesses. You still repay it all.

What 70% means

If things go wrong, the government covers 70% of the lender’s loss. So lenders can support more viable businesses.

  1. Say your business borrows £100,000.
  2. If it goes wrong, the government covers £70,000 of the lender’s loss.
  3. So the lender only risks the other £30,000.
  4. Less risk means lenders can back more viable businesses.
  5. Important: you still repay the full amount, like any finance.
The Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) is a UK government scheme, run by the British Business Bank, that helps smaller businesses get funding to grow.
Good to know: the guarantee protects the lender, not you. You still repay everything you borrow, just like any other business finance.

Who is it for?

Viable UK businesses that a lender might not otherwise take on.

  1. Lots of good UK businesses want to grow.
  2. So they ask a lender for funding.
  3. Too small. Too new. Too niche. That lender says no.
  4. But accredited lenders can use a 70% government guarantee…
  5. …so they can lend to more businesses than they otherwise would.
You need to be trading in the UK with turnover up to £54 million, have a viable business proposition, and not be a business in difficulty. Tally’s service is for limited companies only.
Each lender makes its own decision. Many high street banks are accredited too, and you don’t need to be an existing customer of the lender you approach.

How much can I get?

Anything from £1,000 up to £2 million.

  1. Small need? Start from just £1,000, like a new laptop.
  2. £50,000 for a new van.
  3. £500,000 to move into bigger premises.
  4. All the way up to £2 million for a big growth plan.
Asset finance and invoice finance start from just £1,000. Term facilities and overdrafts start from £25,001 and go up to £2 million per business group, or £1 million for businesses in scope of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

What can I use it for?

One scheme covers five types of funding, though not every lender offers them all.

  1. One government scheme. Five ways to fund your business.
  2. Term funding: a lump sum for a big plan.
  3. Overdrafts: a buffer for day-to-day cash.
  4. Asset finance: spread the cost of vans, kit and machines.
  5. Invoice finance: get paid now for invoices you’re waiting on.
  6. Asset-based lending: unlock cash tied up in what you own.
  7. You don’t have to pick. A funding partner can talk it through.
  • Term facilities for planned investment and expansion.
  • Overdrafts for day-to-day cash flexibility.
  • Asset finance for equipment, vehicles and machinery.
  • Invoice finance for cash tied up in unpaid invoices.
  • Asset-based lending for businesses with significant assets.

How long can I borrow for?

From three months to six years, matched to what the money is for.

  1. Short cash gap? Borrow for as little as 3 months.
  2. Bigger plan? Spread it over a few years.
  3. Machine that lasts? Take up to 6 years.
  4. Simple idea: match the length to what the money’s for.
Term facilities and asset finance run from three months to six years. Overdrafts, invoice finance and asset-based lending run from three months to three years. Some lenders can go up to 10 years on facilities up to £1.1 million.

How long is the scheme open?

Until 31 March 2030.

  1. The scheme opened in 2024.
  2. By September 2025 it had delivered £2.89 billion, with earlier RLS lending.
  3. More than 70 lenders have been part of it.
  4. And it now runs until March 2030.
  5. It’s open to new applications through accredited lenders.
You can use the funding for any legitimate business purpose, including cash flow and investment, as long as your business can afford the repayments.

How do I find out if I qualify?

Answer a few quick questions. It takes about 60 seconds.

  1. No documents. No bank statements. No adviser.
  2. Just answer a few quick questions…
  3. …about what you need and your business.
  4. In about 60 seconds, find out if we can match you.
  5. No obligation. Nothing to lose but a minute.
No documents, no bank statements, no adviser. If we can match you, we’ll introduce you to a funding partner, usually a specialist broker, who can review your options. Those may include GGS-backed finance. There’s no obligation to go ahead.

Ready to see what you qualify for?

A 60-second check. Answer a few questions about your business and find out if we can match you with a funding partner. No documents, no obligation.

Check my eligibility

Tally is an introduction service. We’re not a lender and we’re not part of the government or the British Business Bank. Lending decisions are made by lenders.