Business Tools2 min check

Business Plan Checklist

Get a tailored business plan checklist — appropriate to your stage and audience.

Short answer

A solid UK business plan covers 10 sections: executive summary, problem, solution, market size (TAM/SAM/SOM), competition, business model, go-to-market, team, 3-year financials (P&L + cashflow + balance sheet), and funding ask. Lean plans are 1 page (Lean Canvas); investor plans run 15–25 pages plus financial model.

Step 1 of 10%

Calculation method, coverage and version

Inputs used: Stage, Plan audience.
Calculation approach: The calculator applies the rules and assumptions described in “How it works” to the values you enter. Rounding can cause small differences from an official or provider calculation.
Coverage: Business Tools. UK nations, tax treatment, local rules and provider criteria can differ; check the official sources shown below before acting.
Content version: No page-specific review date is currently published. Treat the result as indicative and verify current rules independently.

Not included unless explicitly requested: personal circumstances not entered, provider discretion, future rule changes, professional fees and case-specific exceptions. Read the full calculator methodology.

How it works

The checklist scores each section as Done / Draft / Missing and prioritises the gaps that block fundraising or bank lending. Cashflow forecasts and customer-acquisition assumptions are the two areas most plans fail on.

Worked example

SaaS founder raising £250k seed: solid product/market sections but missing CAC/LTV math and 18-month cashflow → fix both before approaching VCs.

Who should use this

•Founders preparing to raise
•Bank loan / Start Up Loan applicants
•Established businesses entering new markets

Common mistakes

×Top-down market sizing only ('1% of a £10bn market')
×Hockey-stick revenue with no customer-acquisition basis
×No cashflow forecast — only P&L

Frequently asked questions

Lean Canvas or full plan?▾

Lean Canvas to test the idea; full plan when raising £50k+ or applying for finance.

Can I use AI to write it?▾

AI is great for structure and tightening language; the strategy and numbers must be yours.

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