Rules and ethics
Part of Free government grants for women: five checks before a fee
Free government grants for women: five checks before a fee
No general UK grant pays women founders to start a business. Run five checks on any offer that charges a fee: funder, call, fee, third party, repayment.
No UK government department runs an open grant called free government grants for women. When a website, message or adviser offers one for a fee, the safest first move is to find the funder's own page for the scheme. Official grant pages do not ask for a fee to submit.
What to take away
- There is no general UK government grant that pays women founders to start any business.
- Official grant pages do not ask for a fee to submit an application.
- Never pay a third party to apply on your behalf unless the funder names them.
- Free means no repayment, not no conditions, and some support is a loan, not a grant.
- Keep a log of every offer you check, with the date, the link and the reason you ruled it out.
Why a fee for free money should stop you
Free means no repayment, not no conditions, so an offer that charges to enter should be questioned. A real grant can still require match funding, invoices and reporting, and it can require repayment if you break the rules. A fee at the door is a separate matter altogether.
Targeted public money does exist, which is why the offers sound plausible. Innovate UK's Women in Innovation Awards has offered grant funding and business support to women innovators. It is a competitive programme, not a standing grant for every start-up, so an offer that promises approval to any woman founder describes something that does not exist.
Five checks before you pay anyone
Run every offer through the same short sequence, and stop at the first check it fails.
- Name the funder. Find the scheme on the funder's own page or on the GOV.UK Finance and Support Finder, which lists support schemes by stage, sector and location.
- Read the full call document. Note the closing date, the eligible costs and the evidence you must submit.
- Look for any fee to submit. Official grant pages do not ask for one.
- Ask whether the funder names the third party. Never pay anyone to apply on your behalf unless it does.
- Find out whether the money is repayable. A loan can be called support, but it is still a loan.
Test a grant scheme
- Read eligibility rules on funder's page
- Check nation, sector and business age
- Confirm match funding requirement
- Note reporting, evidence and job duties
- Compare with startup loan or equity
A women-only label is not an eligibility test
A women-only label does not mean easy money. Eligibility depends on the funder, not on gender alone: a grant may require a registered company, a UK bank account, a minimum trading history or activity in a specified sector.
Eligibility checks before applying
- Business registered with Companies House or sole trader
- Funder covers your part of the UK
- Can provide invoices, accounts or business plan
- Accept reporting and audit conditions
- Can cover match funding or arrears cash
An adviser who skips those questions and goes straight to a fee is not testing your business, sector or stage, and the funder will. Ask to see the call document in which the adviser's service is named. The strongest applications show a clear plan, a realistic budget and evidence of demand.
Routes that are real, and what each asks of you
Several routes exist, and none of them is a universal start-up grant. Each asks something different of you, so read what it requires before spending time on an application.
| Route | What it is | What it asks of you |
|---|---|---|
| Women in Innovation Awards | A competitive Innovate UK programme with grant funding and business support for women innovators | Check whether a round is open and read the call for project requirements |
| Start Up Loan | A government-backed loan through delivery partners | Repayment, because it is not free grant funding |
| Funded accelerator | An early-stage programme to look at before assuming a grant exists | Read each programme's own terms |
| Council or growth hub pot | A small local fund | Check the current information before relying on it |
| Devolved bodies | Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise, Business Wales and Invest NI | Check for open grant competitions in your nation |
A government-backed Start Up Loan runs from £500 to £25,000 and is an unsecured personal loan, so it is repayable. Older founders can read about loans for women over 50. A grant is also rarely the cheapest route once you count reporting time, so compare the full cost of each option.
What to do with a suspicious offer
Stop, keep the message and do not pay. GOV.UK asks people to report misleading websites, emails, phone numbers, phone calls or text messages they think may be suspicious.
The same page advises against giving out private information, such as bank details or passwords. It also says not to reply to text messages, download attachments or click links in emails if you are not sure they are genuine.
If an adviser or funding provider does stay on your shortlist, run the checks before choosing a route and compare the official research tools against what they claim.
Keeping a record
Keep a simple log of every scheme or offer you check, including the date, the link and the reason you ruled it out. That record stops you repeating dead ends and shows you which offers asked for money.
For a repeatable way to look for real schemes, use the search routine in the guide to finding grants for women entrepreneurs. Start from the official finder and the funder's own call pages, not from an advert.
Before you pay
- Find the scheme on the funder's own page.
- Read the call document, closing date and eligible costs.
- Look for any fee to submit and walk away if there is one.
- Confirm the funder names any third party who applies for you.
- Check whether the money is repayable.
Common questions
Can I pay someone to apply for a government grant?
Never pay a third party to apply on your behalf unless the funder names them. Official grant pages do not ask for a fee to submit.
Is a Start Up Loan a free grant?
No. It is a government-backed, repayable loan provided through delivery partners, not free grant funding.
Does free mean there are no conditions?
No. Free means no repayment, not no conditions. A grant can still require match funding, invoices and reporting, and repayment if you break the rules.
