Aberdeen City Council Business Start-Up Grant Scheme: Empowering New Entrepreneurs. Deadline 28 February 2026

Overview

The Aberdeen City Council Business Start-Up Grant Scheme, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is designed to support new businesses within the Aberdeen City boundary. This initiative aims to foster entrepreneurship, stimulate economic growth, and create employment opportunities by providing financial assistance to eligible start-ups.

Grant Amounts

• £1,000 Grant: For home-based businesses or those operating without a physical commercial premises.
• £3,000 Grant: For businesses that have secured a rateable business premises within Aberdeen City.

Note: Only one grant per business is permitted.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the grant, applicants must meet the following conditions:

• Business Structure: Operate as a sole trader, partnership, or limited company.
• Location: Business must be based within the Aberdeen City Council boundary.
• Engagement with Business Gateway: Must be engaged with the Business Gateway service and have a named advisor.
• Trading Status: Business must not have commenced trading, been registered, or sold goods prior to 1 January 2024.
• Size Classification: Must be a micro, small, or medium enterprise (up to 250 employees).
• Financial Viability: Demonstrate a viable and well-thought-out business idea.
• Premises Requirement: For the £3,000 grant, the business must have a rateable business premises within Aberdeen City.
• Autonomy: Businesses that are part of a group or franchise are eligible only if they have an autonomous cost and profit centre and reasonable day-to-day management and accounts.
• Compliance: The business owner or director must not have been disqualified as a director or business owner, nor be listed on the AIB Register of Insolvencies.
• Outstanding Debts: Must not have any outstanding debts to Aberdeen City Council.

Required Documentation

Applicants must submit the following documents:

• Completed Application Form: Including business, address, and contact details, business bank details, business overview, and intended use of the grant.
• Evidence of Trading: A business bank statement showing at least one business-related transaction and confirming no trading occurred before 1 January 2024.
• Evidence of Registration: For limited companies, a Companies House registration number; for sole traders, a copy of the HMRC Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) letter.
• Proof of Identity: A copy of a passport or, for those granted leave to remain, a letter from the Home Office.
• Proof of Address: A recent Council Tax bill or utility bill dated within the last 3 months.
• Premises Documentation: For the £3,000 grant, a copy of the lease or property purchase agreement is required.
• Cashflow Projection: A 12-month cashflow projection, which can be provided by your Business Gateway advisor.
• Additional Supporting Documents: Any other relevant documents that support your application.

Application Process

1. Engage with Business Gateway: Contact Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire to be assigned a dedicated advisor.
2. Prepare Documentation: Gather all required documents as listed above.
3. Submit Application: Email the completed application form and supporting documents
4. Assessment: Applications will be assessed and verified against the eligibility criteria by Aberdeen City Council and Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire.
5. Notification: Successful applicants will be informed by offer letter.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Recipients of the grant will be required to provide information on the following within 12 months of the award date:

• Job Creation: Number of full-time jobs created.
• New Products/Services: Number of new products or services introduced.
• Business Earnings: Financial performance and growth.
• Business Premises: Number of business premises operated.
• Market Expansion: Engagement in new markets or export activities.

Note: Applicants must retain copies of receipts related to expenditure for up to 12 months. Aberdeen City Council reserves the right to conduct auditing spot checks and request copies of receipts as evidence of eligible expenditure. Failure to provide evidence may result in the grant being reclaimed.

Additional Information

• Grant Usage: The grant must be used for the intended business purposes as outlined in the application.
• Subsidy Control: Grants are awarded under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 – Subsidy Control Number SC11114. Applicants must disclose any other public subsidies received.
• Appeal Process: Applicants can appeal an unsuccessful application by submitting a written request to [email protected] within 4 weeks of the rejection notification.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring company. For any inquiries, please contact the hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.