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Introduction
According to new research from Worldpay, UK SMEs are collectively investing 36% of their yearly revenue into new tools and technologies to help run their businesses, which amounts to an annual expenditure of over £1 trillion. Only 1% of all businesses surveyed in 2025 are not using any type of technology to run their business, compared to 20% of businesses a decade ago who were running their operations exclusively using pen and paper and manual processes.
90% of businesses have reported that tech improvements have helped improve efficiency across their business functions and encouraged growth. The most popular areas for SMEs to integrate technology are financial management (54%), sales and marketing functions (49%) and payment processing (47%). Other business functions with high technology adoption include employee management, inventory control and customer relationship management all at 40%.
Businesses looking to invest in capital equipment and technology can access grant funding to receive finance towards some of the overall eligible costs. Funding is typically available from UK councils and local business enterprise support organisations and in many cases backed by the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
What Are Some Of The Latest UK Purchasing Equipment and Technology Funding Opportunities Available?
i) Durham Business Growth Programme – Capital Grants
RTC North in conjunction with UMi and Durham County Council is providing funding to local businesses towards the cost of plant, machinery, equipment, premises and fit-out works that will enable business growth, productivity improvements and/or decarbonisation. Funding up to £200,000 is available.
Application Deadline: 31st March 2026
ii) Enterprising Worcestershire Grant
Worcestershire County Council is running a UK Government backed scheme that aims to provide businesses with the necessary support to achieve their milestones quicker and help them with establishing themselves in the market. Eligible expenditure includes the purchase of capital machinery and equipment to facilitate productivity increases and growth. Businesses in the Bromsgrove, Malvern Hills, Redditch, Wychavon and Wyre Forest districts are all invited to apply. Funding up to £100,000 is available.
Application Deadline: Applications are invited on an ongoing basis
iii) Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025-26
Stafford Borough Council is running a programme providing funding to rural businesses for projects including the creation of event venues or farm tourism facilities, the purchase of food processing equipment for non-farmed own businesses and the development of local tourist attractions. Eligible equipment purchases must assist the diversification of businesses to gain revenue streams away from traditional farming income sources. Funding up to £65,000 is available.
Application Deadline: 30th November 2025
iv) Stoke-on-Trent Powering Up Inward Investment
Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub is running a UK Government backed scheme that aims to attract businesses in the advanced manufacturing, digital, life sciences and energy sectors to establish and grow in the local area. The funding covers the purchase of capital items, such as fixtures and fittings and plant and machinery. Funding up to £50,000 is available.
Application Deadline: 31st March 2026
v) Conwy Supporting Local Business Key Fund
Conwy County Borough Council is running a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) scheme to provide grants supporting economic growth and sustainability through the delivery of a range of local business development projects. Eligible costs can include, but are not limited to, the purchase of capital equipment and technology, website development, digitalisation upgrades and carbon reduction projects. Funding up to £50,000 is available.
Application Deadline: 30th November 2025
vi) Business Growth Grant
Derbyshire Dales District Council is running a scheme that aims to assist manufacturing and engineering businesses with business diversification, growth, adaptation and long term resilience. Eligible expenditure includes new equipment or technology required to develop, diversify or grow a business. Funding up to £40,000 is available.
Application Deadline: 28th February 2026
vii) High Street Fit Out Grant
Bassetlaw District Council is providing a scheme that aims to support new businesses to fit out premises on the high streets and within the town centres across the District. The grant can fund structural works to a property and/or the purchase of equipment needed to provide services and trade from the property. Funding up to £20,000 is available.
Application Deadline: 30th November 2025
viii) Pendle Innovation and Productivity Grants
Pendle Borough Council is providing a grant scheme that aims to support investment in research and development at a local level and the diffusion of innovation and knowledge activities. Eligible funding costs are for the adoption of new to the firm technologies or processes that would lead to a demonstrable improvement in productivity. The grant may be used for capital costs including new equipment or adaptation of premises. Funding up to £18,000 is available.
Application Deadline: 28th February 2026
How To Apply For Purchasing Equipment and Technology Schemes
Full details about how to apply for schemes and the eligibility criteria is available on each individual scheme page on the relevant website. Any deadlines, who can apply and what eligible costs the grants will cover will also be outlined on these pages. Interested individuals and businesses can speak to funding advisors based at each provider who can guide them through requirements and eligibility criteria to see if the relevant funding is a match with their needs and help them to apply. There are also application forms and other supporting guidance available on scheme pages as well.
Want To Find The Latest UK Purchasing Equipment and Technology Funding Opportunities?
If you want to see the full set of UK purchasing equipment funding currently available, please visit https://getbusinessgrants.com/