If you are a business owner in Hull or East Riding who has been thinking about getting a new website, upgrading an outdated one, or investing in your content and SEO, there may be funding available to help cover the cost.
We’ve taken the time to really understand this grant, including meeting with a business adviser who is involved in the grant decision-making process. We’ve done this so we can support local businesses in making the most of the funding available.
This article explains what the grant is, who it is for, what it covers, and what you need to know before you explore it further.
What the Business Revenue Grant Is
A grant programme is currently available to businesses in Hull and East Riding that are planning to invest in a qualifying business development project. Website design, redesign, and SEO content strategy all sit within the scope of eligible projects.
The grant covers up to 50% of qualifying project costs, up to a maximum of £2,500. That means a project worth £5,000 could attract £2,500 in grant funding. The minimum qualifying project cost is £2,000, which would attract a £1,000 grant.
The total pot is approximately £100,000, spread across roughly 100 to 120 grants. This is not a rolling programme. When the money runs out, it closes. The funding is projected to be fully allocated by October 2026.
Who Can Apply for Grant Funding?
The grant is available to businesses based in Hull or in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Hull enquiries are handled by one adviser, East Riding by another, but the eligibility criteria and process are the same across both areas.
The grant is designed to support business growth and development, so the strongest applications are from businesses that can demonstrate a clear reason to invest.
This might mean you are:
Getting your business online properly for the first time
Redesigning a website that no longer reflects your current services or customer base
Adding new functionality, such as online enquiries, booking, or e-commerce
Investing in SEO and content to improve your visibility in search results
Expanding into new service areas or locations and needing your website to support that
If you are simply refreshing a website that is already working well, that is a harder case to make. The grant is about growth, rather than maintenance.
What Can the Funding Cover?
Qualifying costs can include the website design and build, website copywriting and content, photography for the site, and SEO content strategy packaged as part of a defined project.
The key point on structure: costs must be invoiced as a single project, not as ongoing monthly retainers or maintenance packages. If you are considering content or SEO work, it is worth speaking to your web provider about how a project can be scoped and costed to meet this requirement.
For businesses that are not VAT-registered, the qualifying project cost is VAT-inclusive. For VAT-registered businesses, it is VAT-exclusive.
The Rules You Need to Know Before You Start an Application
This is the part where most businesses lose grants. Either because they decide the process is too convoluted and give up, or because they don’t follow the process properly and have their submission rejected.
We’ve done the research, and we believe this grant is worth applying for if you follow these non-negotiables:
You must not pay anything before the grant is approved. That includes deposits. If you pay any amount towards the project before receiving written approval from the council, the project no longer qualifies. This applies regardless of how far along discussions have gone.
Payment by credit card is not accepted once the grant is in place. Plan for bank transfer from the outset.
You will need three separate quotes for the proposed work. These quotes must be addressed to your business, clearly labelled as quotes (not invoices), and must state the supplier's VAT status. They should not include expiry dates.
Documentation is required. The application will ask for a recent bank statement, your last two sets of accounts or tax returns, and a profit and loss statement from your most recent return to the present. Gathering this in advance makes the application process significantly smoother. The adviser we spoke to recommends completing the application in a single session, which typically takes around two hours.
None of this should put you off. But you should know what you're walking into.
How the Application Process Works
Once you have confirmed that your project is likely to qualify, the process runs broadly like this:
You work with your chosen web provider to develop a clear project proposal. You then speak with the relevant council adviser, who will assess your business needs, confirm eligibility, and explain the documentation requirements.
You gather the required documents and alternative quotes, and submit your application. Once approved, you receive an offer letter that formally secures your funding. Only at that point can the project begin. You pay for the agreed work and then claim back the approved grant amount.
From a well-organised submission to receiving payment, the process typically takes around three working weeks.
Is This Worth the Effort?
That depends on your circumstances.
If you are already planning to invest in a website this year, the grant is absolutely worth exploring. The application has specific requirements, and the documentation gathering takes time. But for a potential £2,500 back on a qualifying project, it is a reasonable use of a few hours.
If you are not actively planning a website investment, the grant alone is probably not a sufficient reason to start one. The purpose of the funding is to support projects you were going to pursue anyway, not to manufacture a reason to spend money.
If you are somewhere in between, aware that your website needs attention but not sure whether now is the right time, the October deadline and the finite number of available grants is a practical reason to at least find out whether your plans could qualify before the window closes.
What to Do Next
If you want to talk through your current situation before committing to anything, you can request a callback from us. There’s no application required, and no obligation to proceed. Simply enter your details below, and we'll be in touch.
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