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Open nowRegional grantVerified 6 Nov 2026

Start-Up and Growth Loan (Opportunity Loan Fund)

Highland Opportunity (Investments) Limited, part of the Highland Council's business development service

Check if you qualifyFree to check · no sign-up · full report £19.95

Worth

£5,000 to £200,000

Loan (repayable)

Deadline

Rolling - no fixed deadline

Type of funding

Loan (repayable)

Where

Scotland (Highlands and Islands)

What it is

A loan you repay, not a grant: £5,000 to £200,000 over 1 to 10 years at a fixed 4% to 10%, for start-ups and growing businesses in the Highland Council area. Security and an arrangement fee may apply.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 on hoil.co.uk: £5,000 to £200,000, 1 to 10 years, fixed 4% to 10% set by risk assessment, up to 3% arrangement fee on loans over £10,001, security case by case; sole traders, partnerships and limited companies in the Highland Council area only; apply on the Highland Council online form.

Official source

Who can apply

A summary of the main rules, not the full list. Highland Opportunity (Investments) Limited, part of the Highland Council's business development service decides who is eligible, so read their guidance before you apply. The free scan checks these against your own business.

  • Business in the Highland Council area

You cannot apply if

  • Charities, CICs, LLPs and PLCs (the loan is for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies)
Read the full rules at the official source

How to apply, in brief

The business, on the Highland Council's online 'Apply for HOIL loan' form (mygovscot myaccount, or continue without an account).

  1. 1Check you are in the Highland Council area
  2. 2Check the loan terms
  3. 3Apply online
  4. 4Risk assessment and offer

The full guide, with what to do at each step, the official link for it and a draft to work from, is part of the £19.95 report.

Common questions

Is Start-Up and Growth Loan (Opportunity Loan Fund) open for applications?
Yes. It is open for applications, with no fixed deadline.
How much is Start-Up and Growth Loan (Opportunity Loan Fund) worth?
£5,000 to £200,000. It is a loan (repayable), and the funder decides what each applicant receives.
Who runs Start-Up and Growth Loan (Opportunity Loan Fund), and where is it available?
Highland Opportunity (Investments) Limited, part of the Highland Council's business development service runs it. It is available in Scotland (Highlands and Islands).
How do I apply for Start-Up and Growth Loan (Opportunity Loan Fund)?
The business, on the Highland Council's online 'Apply for HOIL loan' form (mygovscot myaccount, or continue without an account).

Does your business qualify?

Eligibility rules are where schemes get fiddly. Gov Owed checks your business against Start-Up and Growth Loan (Opportunity Loan Fund) — and every other UK scheme we track — in about two minutes, free. The £19.95 report then explains exactly why you qualify, drafts your answers and walks you through the real application step by step.

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Information, not financial advice; eligibility is decided by the funder. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Schemes change — confirm details on the official page before applying.