Business funding in a crisis
–
Whether due to economic downturns, unexpected challenges, or a range of other factors, businesses in the UK at risk of crisis or bankruptcy may find themselves in dire need of financial assistance. Fortunately, there are various funding options available to support struggling businesses during tough times. In this article, we will explore some of the key sources of funding that can help businesses weather the storm and get back on the path to sustainability.
–

–
Business support organisations
Business support organisations in the UK, such as local chambers of commerce, often provide financial support to struggling businesses. These organisations can offer advice, mentoring, and financial assistance through various grants and schemes. As well as the support we offer at the Growth Hub, you may also wish to look at the British Business Bank, the Federation of Small Businesses, or Funding Circle.
Commercial finance
Beyond government and grant-based options, businesses at risk of crisis or bankruptcy can explore commercial finance solutions. These include:
- Asset-based lending: Businesses can leverage their assets, such as stock, property or income due, as collateral to secure a line of credit or a loan.
- Invoice factoring: This option allow businesses to sell their outstanding invoices to a finance company, which provides immediate cash in exchange for a fee.
- Business loans and credit: Traditional bank loans or lines of credit may be available to businesses that meet their lender’s criteria. Private lenders and online lending platforms can also be considered.
Turnaround specialists
If your business is in severe financial distress or at risk of bankruptcy, it may be advisable to speak to a turnaround specialist or insolvency practitioner. They can provide guidance and financial support to navigate the challenging process of restructuring and recovery. These professionals can help negotiate with creditors, develop restructuring plans, and manage the company’s financial affairs during a crisis.
Facing a financial crisis or the possibility of bankruptcy can be a daunting and distressing experience for any business-owner and their team. But there are a number of potential options available to try and navigate these challenges, and, along with a proper financial plan that plots a path out of the crisis, they can help businesses at risk of crisis or bankruptcy regain stability and thrive once more. If you are in this situation, we encourage you to consult with financial experts as soon as possible.
Learn more
See what sorts of business funding are available
Find out more about managing costs in your business
–

–
Articles
New one stop shop Business Growth Service roadshow kicks off to support firms in the North East
Small Businesses across the UK will benefit from a new support service, bringing together central, devolved, and local support in one place for the first time.
Communications for Small Businesses: Webinar Series
Communications, marketing, PR – these can be complicated to navigate as a small business. But Hey Me is here to help. Our communications workshops have been specially designed to help small businesses just like yours reach your target customers and increase your potential for growth.
Fully Funded Automation & Efficiency Webinar Series
Step into digital with Data Stream's Automation & Efficiency Webinar series. Designed to support small businesses make day-to-day work smoother. This series gives a balanced overview of everything needed to streamline everyday work, through a well-rounded introduction to the digital tools and techniques that make running your business smoother and more managea
Events
26th November 202510:00 am - 4:00 pmFREE
Smartphone Video Masterclass: Northallerton
Join our one-day hands-on video workshop designed to help businesses of all types and sizes take their first confident steps into video marketing. Whether you're B2B or B2C, a sole trader or a growing team, this workshop will equip you with the essential skills to produce professional, social-media-ready video content in-house. The Growth Hub are happy to be offering these workshops, following exceptional demand last year under North Yorkshire Council’s UKSPF programme.
28th November 202510:00 am - 11:30 amFREE
🟣 Steps into Digital: AI Agents, Chatbots & LLMs in Business
ChatGPT and AI agents are transforming how businesses interact with data and customers. This session focuses on natural language processing (NLP), chatbots and large language models (LLMs), showing how they can streamline customer service, automate reporting and make company data more accessible to non-technical staff.
30th November 2025FREE
Start-up business training for therapists in the holistic, beauty, hair and health fields: Malton
Starting in business or thinking of making the move and have 100s of questions? This course is for you! This three-stage course is designed for therapists and professionals in fields like personal training, pet grooming, and hairdressing, and covers everything you need to successfully set up and run your own business.
Resources
Webinar Series: How to Run a Pop-Up
From pop-up department stores to kitchen takeovers, cool things are popping up and popping off everywhere. In this exciting project, you’ll get to meet some of the teams behind these pop-ups and get their top tips for running a great pop-up.
Webinar Recording: 🟢 Data Protection Essentials
In this engaging and practical webinar series, Privacy Protect Group Ltd will guide you through everything you need to know to build a confident, compliant, and resilient approach to data protection in your business. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your practices, each session is designed to build your understanding step-by-step.
Webinar Series: Data Analytics for Smarter Decisions
Data Analytics for Smarter Decisions, is a nine part online workshop series designed to help businesses at every stage of their data journey, from those just starting out to those ready to explore artificial intelligence and compliance. Each session is practical, jargon free and grounded in real business use cases, ensuring participants leave with tools and knowledge they can apply immediately.









