Businesses in Liverpool City Region have several funding routes available in 2026, but the landscape is broader than traditional grants. Support now includes loans, investment funds, place-based programmes and sector-specific schemes.
Flexible Growth Fund
The Liverpool City Region Flexible Growth Fund offers fee-free, interest-subsidised loans of up to £1 million. The fund can cover up to 50% of eligible capital expenditure and is open to businesses based in, or relocating to, Liverpool City Region.
Priority sectors include advanced manufacturing, creative and digital, health and life sciences, and maritime and logistics. Applications are also expected to demonstrate social value and support the region’s net-zero ambitions.
A Wider Shift in Regional Investment
In 2026 the Combined Authority also launched a £2 billion Liverpool City Region Investment Fund, designed to support growth, housebuilding, commercial development and major infrastructure over the long term. This is not a simple startup-grant pot; it is part of a wider move toward strategic investment rather than fragmented short-term funding.
Separate place-based business support programmes also operate across the six local authority areas, so eligibility can depend on where the business is based and the type of support required.
Before You Apply
- Check whether the scheme is a grant, loan or investment product.
- Confirm the geographic and sector eligibility.
- Prepare realistic financial forecasts and evidence for the proposed expenditure.
- Do not assume every programme covers 100% of project costs.
- Use official scheme pages for deadlines and current terms, as funding windows can change.
For founders, the most important step is matching the finance product to the actual business need rather than chasing any scheme simply because it carries the word “funding”.
