Start Up Loans lends £3 million to help Scots out of unemployment to be their own boss

Sew far, sew good for founder of children’s clothing brand Belladreea

The British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme has helped over 320 entrepreneurs in Scotland with essential funding to help them out of unemployment or being economically inactive and launch their own small business ventures.

Since it began in 2012, the programme has delivered loans totalling £3 million for founders who were previously considered economically inactive or unemployed, supporting them to turn ideas into viable new businesses all over the country.

According to the most recent ONS figures, an estimated 133,000 people are unemployed in Scotland, equivalent to 4.9% of the working-age population ^{Read footnote text 1} . Start Up Loans is committed to funding groups in society who would otherwise struggle to access finance, including those who are economically inactive, young and out of education, or post-retirement.

One founder to benefit from loan funding to start her business is Andreea Niculescu, who started a children’s partywear brand, Belladreea, in 2022. Andreea found herself out of work post-Covid, following a career in hospitality and after becoming a mum to baby Arabella. Struggling to find suitable high-street options for her daughter, she decided to launch an online store selling girls’ party dresses and other clothing.

A £10,000 Start Up Loan supported Andreea with initial set-up costs including purchasing stock, building the website and marketing. In just two years of trading, Belladreea has sold dresses to customers worldwide and hopes to grow the business to include a physical store in the future.  

Andreea said:

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  Source: Gov.uk